Ever After
by Kennedy Leigh Morgan
Summary: Since there was no ever after sad or happy, to Wicked and the world at large deserves to know what happened to Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero and the rest of the gang from Oz.
1. Enough

**Ever After**

**Yay for my third foray into the wonderful world of Wicked! And this story will have chapters and be really long. I know this has been done before but theoretically it's different enough that it will be interesting anyway. **

**Important**

**Please note that is a continuation of Wicked following immediately where the musical left off. Also, I may be screwing up some of the canon just a little because the story deals a lot with the Vinkus and the way it's ruled. Since the musical changed so much about Fiyero I decided that the Vinkus and his status as royalty there would be different. Don't sue me just yet :) It seems to me that he's far more wealthy and widely known in the musical and I'm trying to reflect that in the way I've set up the economy, hierarchy and general _way_ of the Vinkus. Basically the Arjiki's are the head of a trade empire. The other two tribe's from the book are there as well, but you'll see what's up with them.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own it, don't sue me, I'll put them all back, relatively unscathed, when I'm done playing. I do however, lay whatever claim I can to the original characters I do put in.**

_Through the clock and into the woods to Fiyero's house we go..._

**Enough For Now**

Stepping through the clock was like stepping into a vacuum. Or a vortex. Having never actually been inside either of the two Elphaba wasn't sure which was the most accurate description. The point was it sucked. She felt like she'd been ripped off her feet by a particularly strong wind as soon as the clock face swung shut behind them. Only instead of pushing her and Fiyero, this wind pulled.

She tried to yell and found she couldn't, no sound came out. Actually she realized she couldn't hear anything period. But she could see Fiyero just behind her, flailing his arms to try to catch up. His mouth was moving but she couldn't find the words. It was the oddest thing, except for Fiyero and what little else they'd brought for their excursion she couldn't see a thing. It was pitch black all around and yet somehow light at the same time.

Finally, after what seemed like eons, they "popped" out the other end of whatever it was. Elphaba landed not-so-gently on her tail end. Fiyero landed gracefully on his feet next to her and offered her a hand up.

"What, have you done this before?" She asked, not entirely happy at the ease with which he'd managed to come out of the ordeal.

"Yes actually, there are a lot of portals through out Oz. Most people don't know about them but the Arjiki's have used them for ages," Fiyero explained. "We call it "hopping."

"And you didn't think it worthy to explain this "hopping" before we "hopped," she snapped back. "Where did we fall from?"

"There." He pointed to a rather large tree that had a circular chunk missing. It looked like the end of a tube slide at a schoolyard playground. "Sorry. You'll get used to it. It's actually rather pleasant once you do."

"Thank you, but I think I prefer to come and go by broom. Where are we anyway?" She asked, looking around now that there was something other than Fiyero to look at.

They were in a forest, trees surrounded them, though she wasn't positive what kind. There was a very nice pond not fifteen feet away from where they stood and the land seemed to arch on either side, as if they were nestled between two mountains.

"The Enchanted Forest. At least that's what we always call it, I believe the actual name is in ancient Arjikian and sounds something like a sneeze but I'd have to ask someone who remembers about that."

"We're in the Vinkus?"

"Yes somewhere in the vicinity of the middle."

"I thought we had to leave Oz," Elphaba answered, feeling what little patience she had left leave as if by portal, or whatever Fiyero had called them.

"Well technically we're out of Oz. See the Vinkus is exactly twice as big as the Oz maps show because we've explored quite a bit of the border lands and found not desert, but quite habitable and beautiful land beyond Oz Proper and laid claim. It's another of those things most people don't know about. They tend to think we're silly tribal traders who don't know anything but how to load a train with finery and spend the money we make doing that."

"So we're out of Oz but in the Vinkus." Her mind was reeling with all this new information. Vacuum portals, doubled countries, forest where she'd been taught she'd find desert. What would be revealed next? The existence of an ocean? It'd certainly been theorized.

"Yes, we're somewhere very close to the border of Oz but no longer in it."

"And as long as we stay west of the "border" we're okay?" She tried to clarify.

"Actually I think we're pretty much free to roam. I have it on very reliable authority that since the Wizard was so kind as to attempt to have the Crown Prince of the Arjiki's assassinated, the king is going to finally follow through with his threats and secede from Oz entirely."

"Can he do that? What about the other tribes don't they have any say?"

There was Elphaba, constantly concerned with the rights of others.

"Not really, see the Scrow and the Yunamata aren't technically citizens of Oz anyhow, as they're so nomadic they never got around to joining up. Their numbers are small enough that they travel through out the Vinkun wilderness and answer to no one. All they need is their freedom and permission to hunt all year and they're happy. The ones who aren't have long since melded into the Arjiki domain."

"You make it sound as if they're the uncivilized nomads most people see the 'winkies' as."

"Well they are. Which is funny since they normally live closer to the Kells and therefore are more within the Ozian boundary. Apart from the trading posts all of the Arjikian cities are either out here on the border, or west of it," Fiyero explained patiently. "Come on we gotta get going if we want to make it to the palace by dark. You don't want to be out here then with nothing to protect yourself."

He began walking southward, picking his way on an invisible trail through the trees. Elphaba could only stand looking at him. Trying to figure out how he'd managed to plan their escape so thoroughly when he'd only remembered he did in fact have a brain twenty-four hours before. And just how exactly he was going to pull off arriving back in civilization as a handsome prince turned into a Scarecrow with the Wicked Witch of the West in tow.

Finally she gathered back her wits and jogged after him.

"Fiyero wait! Hold on just a clock tik."

"What? I'm serious about that in the forest after dark thing. Not only are there very wild animals and the temperature plummets as soon as the sun sets."

"I know," she insisted. "but just how are you planning to do this? Waltz into the city or palace or wherever we're headed and say 'Hi everybody, I'm really Prince Fiyero but I was turned into a Scarecrow by the Wicked Witch of the West who isn't so wicked. In fact I've got her here with me so let's have a party and continue dancing through life'?" She asked dubiously. "Have you really thought about this? How did you plan this all anyway and where exactly are we going?"

He sighed.

"We are going to THE palace, Iisen Lier is where my family lives almost all the time. It's in the city called Loryntium, which is also the capital. And you're going to have to trust me."

"But ..." Elphaba simply wasn't used to trusting anyone. Fiyero was a first. Even more so than Glinda. She couldn't think of any reason not to trust him, but that was no reason to throw caution to the winds. "What about the Wicked Witch of the West part?"

"Elphaba to be honest, not a whole lot of people out here believe that. Most who do don't really care. The Winkies haven't been on wonderful terms with Oz since the Wizard dropped in. He hasn't exactly been beneficial, benevolent or befriending. He is the one who perpetuated the stupid nomad image after all." He took her hand and kissed it, hoping to reassure her. "My parents know we're coming. They know I am a Scarecrow, they know you are doing everything within you're considerable power to change that. They know I trust you, and that I love you and so they will too."

Well there it was, he'd said the words. _I love you._ It was that she hadn't figured that out. No one spent three years searching for a person and then give up their life to spent just a moment with them, without having some degree of love for that person. She knew he loved her and it wasn't that she didn't love him in return, she did. They just hadn't said the words. No one had ever said those words to her. Not her father or mother, or Nanny or Nessa. Not even Glinda had ever said those words, it had been different with her of course. They had been best friends, not family members or anything. But to _hear_ the words. . .in real life. . .

"Hey are you okay?" Fiyero asked as he slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

He knew this was hard for her. To leave to land and people she loved, who she only had ever wanted good things for. To run away to a place she'd never really been before, to people she'd never met and a land she'd hadn't even known existed until thirty seconds ago. He also knew she missed Glinda already. And that she'd never admit but she missed Nessa too.

"Yeah I'll be alright, I just-

He hugged her warmly.

"I know."

She hugged him back, kissing him softly before they separated and began walking again.

"Fiyero?" She spoke up after a short time. After she'd convinced herself to take a chance.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He looked at her, a smile teasing his lips and utter understanding playing in his eyes. And just for that moment they both knew it would be okay. They'd make it through whatever problems they faced and come out together.

They walked on, briskly, to make it to the city by nightfall. Through the trees Elphaba could see the beginnings of dusk. The sky was turning orange and pink, and the light steadily dimmed. Birds began to call and she saw a deer at a stream they passed.

The trees didn't seem to be thinning at all, and the darker it got the more that worried her. Fiyero didn't seem concerned though, so she didn't say anything about it.

"How come we didn't just take a portal straight to the palace if they're all over the place?" Her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked.

"Well I guess 'all over' is a bit of a liberal term for it. They exist and we use them, in fact cities are built around them, but I don't know where many are out side this area, and hardly know of any outside the Vinkus. There's one in the Emerald City that takes you to Kiamo Ko, and from there another portal goes to Loryntium. But I figured we had better avoid sticking around Kiamo Ko."

"Then why didn't we just use the one that's already there to go to Loryntium?"

"I don't think you fully appreciate the exactly how lucky our escape was." He elaborated. "There were mobsters everywhere, looking for any sign that you might have survived. To access that particular portal would have been impossible with out getting caught as it's located in the fireplace of the grand hall, where they'd set up camp."

"I see."

"Anyway, the only other one in the city I knew of was through the clock. My father knows of more but I didn't have time to wait for a reply to the letter I sent home."

They walked on in silence again. By then the sun had surely fallen, it was nearly dark and Elphaba was beginning to understand that Fiyero had not been joking in the least when he'd said it got cold _really_ fast.

"Look, we're almost there." He said after another ten minutes.

She sighted down his outstretched arm to see what he was pointing at. Sure enough, just above the trees the turrets of Iisen Lier. The windows were lit, and the moonlight was just bright enough to make out the roof.

"Come on." He moved on, more quickly now that he could see their goal. Within the next ten minutes they'd reached the outskirts of the city. It wasn't so much a city. Not in the industrial sense that Elphaba had expected. It wasn't at all like the Emerald City at least, it looked more like Center Munch, just bigger.

When they first entered, cottage-like buildings lined the cobblestone streets. They were nearly all white with brown trim and many had thatched roofs. Most stood two stories tall and weren't set far from the one next door.

"The larger houses are at the other end of town." Fiyero explained. "This is where the less wealthy live."

Elphaba thought it was very nice, in Center Munch the less Wealthy lived in shacks and boxes in the river bottom. These buildings resembled middle class Munchkin homes.

The homes turned to business buildings as they neared the center of town. Stores and Boutiques were set below apartments and inns. The city offices seemed to be directly in the center as well as the second biggest building in town: the trading depot.

"You like it?" Fiyero asked. He loved his homeland very much. He wasn't sure that anyone knew that, there had certainly been questions when he'd made the announcement that he wouldn't be returning to the Vinkus as soon as he graduated but would instead be taking the position of Captain of the Guard. But he was finally _home_, now that Elphaba was here with him it felt complete. He just hoped that she'd learn to love it too.

"It's beautiful. A little different than I expected but beautiful none-the-less."

"Good. Now the palace is about five minutes away from here, when we get there we can clean up a bit and meet my parents for dinner."

"But it's after mid-night."

"Well it'll be more of a light snack for them but you haven't eaten since before Dorothy arrived at Kiamo Ko."

She had to admit that was true. At least to herself.

True to his word within five minutes Fiyero was guiding her through the main entrance of Iisen Lier. The enormous foyer inside the gargantuan quoxwood doors was all but empty, only four guards stood at attention there. Though Elphaba was sure there were more hidden away, waiting for any sign of trouble. Apparently a Scarecrow and a green woman who was a supposed wicked witch weren't signs of trouble.

They passed with ease, Fiyero even received several respectful head dips. He led Elphaba through halls and corridors until she thought she was sufficiently lost and then finally into a sitting room of sorts. Before an extravagant fireplace, in two over stuffed chairs sat two people who Elphaba could only assume were her companion's parents.

His mother was a study of classic beauty, with pale skin, chestnut hair which was pinned up elegantly behind a tiara. And her cerulean eyes were perfect matches for Fiyero's own. His father was more gruff but handsome still the same. His brown hair was frosted in grey, his eyes were cloudy green and his skin almost dark, like his son's, in the firelight. He was tall and brawny, even sitting in his chair. Neither could have been over fifty, maybe years younger than that.

"Mother, Father," Fiyero greeted the two. Feeling for the first time just a little nervous to be returning home as he did. Talk about the prodigal son.

To his relief, his parents' stoic demeanor's vanished at the words and his mother rushed to hug him. His father hung back, taking things in with less drama, though he was equally glad to see his son alive, if _very _different.

"I was so worried, you father showed me he letter and I thought..." His mother trailed off, unable to speak the words aloud. Instead she buried her face in her sons soft chest, content that he was home and would be whole again.

"Shh, it's okay. Everything'll be just fine. You'll see," he reassured her, feeling her tears seep through his shirt. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, glad she hadn't been to spooked at his appearance. It was reassuring in itself, to be accepted by his mother. And the little worry over his condition he hadn't even known he'd had seemed to melt away.

"Fiyero says you think there's a way to make him human again." His father said from behind his mother, addressing Elphaba. Ever the logician his father was.

"Yes, I hope."

"Good. Our library is at your disposal, Fiyero can help you with anything you don't recognize, though Tierney is the linguificationist in the family."

"Thank you sir."

"Aren't you going to introduce us Fiyero?" His mother asked, having finally gained some control over her emotions.

"Yes of course. Elphaba," he reached for her hand a tugged her forward. "My parents, Tiernan and Gwynigael, though I believe Gwyn is the prefered title. Mom, Dad, this is Elphaba."

"It's a pleasure," Gwyn said politely, eying the girl shrewdly if not rudely. She wasn't sure of this strange girl, but wasn't about to be cruel to the one her son loved so dearly.

"Enchanted," Tiernan bent to kiss her hand. He was a charmer too, quicker to trust the girl than his wife.

"Likewise." To her credit, Elphaba curtsied. Though Fiyero would later assure her that such things weren't required.

After another examination of both young people by the majesties, Fiyero's mother remembered there was a protocol to receiving guests and family members and ushered Elphaba off to clean up and eat, and Fiyero too as well to the extent that he needed. He did manage to stuff himself into a nicer outfit, with Elphaba's solemn help. And she was given a clean change of clothes as well as pajamas to wear when she'd finished her meal.

"How in Oz did all this happen?" Gwyn couldn't help being curious. It wasn't often one's son would stay away from home for a full year to bring back a green girl that nearly the whole country feared and loathed, her curiosity got the best of her regal manners.

"Well. . ." Elphaba began, eager to explain herself in hopes of making a good impression. Though one wasn't needed.

"I think that's a story that can wait until tomorrow when we've both rested," Fiyero interjected gently. The emotions of it all were too raw and he was worried for Elphaba who'd been running on nothing more than adrenalin he knew.

"You're right of course," Tiernan agreed.. "You explained most of it in your letter anyway."

By this time Elphaba had finished the soup and bread that had been placed before her and her energy was all but gone.

"If it's all the same I think we'd both like to go to bed and sleep until Lurlinemas."

Gwyn looked like she wanted to protest but her husband was already taking over, which under the circumstances was probably for the better.

"Yes, of course. I imagine we'll both be staying in your room?"

Fiyero looked nervously to Elphaba. It wasn't as if they could do anything, not in his state and both were exhausted anyway. But they hadn't discussed it at all. Questions filled her eyes and in all honesty Elphaba just wanted him to take the lead.

"For tonight anyway, it's too late to get another room ready." He decided.

Both of his parents nodded, they'd been expecting that since his letter had arrived anyway.

He hugged each of them once more, and Elphaba thanked them for their hospitality and then followed Fiyero through the halls and passages once more. Up the grand staircase, and then up two more winding ones, through an open hall that overlooked the courtyard and up into the north wing.

"I don't know if this is what you wanted but I figured it was too late to worry about it anyway," Fiyero said as they entered what must have been his bedroom.

"It's fine," Elphaba replied, trying to push away her worries and allay them all at once.

She'd always thought the first time she shared a bed it would be with her husband. Fiyero wasn't all that far off in some respects. They loved each other at least. But it was almost silly, they'd barely spent three days together, since reuniting after Shiz, even if the love had been blooming for three years they'd barely established a relationship. She knew next to nothing about him except that he was handsome (even as a Scarecrow) and sweet and selfless and cared far more about everything than he'd let on when they'd first met.

"If you're not comfortable with this I can sleep on the couch by the fire. It's okay."

"No, you don't have to do that," Elphaba found herself saying. "I just- It's so strange, I feel as if I don't know you at all and as if I've known you and loved you forever all at once and it's disconcerting. I didn't think this far, to be honest I didn't think I'd live long enough to need to."

"I know," he agreed softly. "I don't want to rush anything, I didn't really think this far either I guess. I just wanted to get us someplace safe, to get home with you alive. But there's so much to think about now, more than just living to see the sunrise."

Elphaba nodded, finding that he had the words she couldn't come up with.

"Like where are we going from here?"

Now that they'd started all her thoughts, her worries, her hesitations weren't going to stop and she found herself spilling them like the water from the bucket which had "melted" her.

"I mean obviously we have to get you back to normal, but once we do . . . Fiyero I'm not exactly queen material, Ozian or not."

"No you're not queen material." Well that was blunt.

"You're far more than that, you shouldn't be marrying the prince to rule the Vinkus you ought to be ruling the world. But I'm afraid I want nothing more than to ask you to settle for me," he went on.

"What?"

"Elphaba, I don't know exactly where to go from here either. I feel the same way about knowing you and loving you, yet not knowing you at the same time. I know you're strong, that you truly care about _everything_ from the smallest animal to the silliest prince," he said with a self-deprecating grin. "I know I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone, more than I thought it was possible to love anyone. That's not enough though is it?"

"No, not quite."

He took her hands and a deep breath.

"But I want to spend the rest of my life learning everything else, from you're favorite color to what you're favorite Lurlinemas gift will be when you're fifty. I want to know it all, every story from your childhood, of your life up to this point, and if you'd let me, I'd like to help you write some of those stories from now on."

"Are you asking me to–

"Stay here with me? Build a life with me? Marry me? Yes."

She couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed, she wanted nothing more. But was horrendibly afraid of reaching for it. No one had ever wanted her to stay, to build, to love.

"I know it's going to be hard, and a little scary, to start anew in an unfamiliar place, and close your eyes and take a leap. But I'm here to help, to stand by your side through everything if you'll have me," He was nearly pleading now and was terrified that she'd say no.

But how could she?

_It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap._

"I'd like nothing more." The words finally came.

There would be kinks and holes and bumps and scrapes but they'd make it. They'd make it or die trying.

With an elated whoop and a smile bigger than all of Oz Fiyero lifted her clean off the floor and swung her around in ecstatic circles. which left both of them laughing until they couldn't breathe. Tears were streaming from her eyes when he finally set her down but the smile never left her face.

Both understood they were happy tears but Fiyero kissed them away anyhow before moving down to place his lips gently on her own.

When they parted both were breathless, excited and exhausted all at once.

"Alright then?"

"Alright then."

"Well I guess we've made enough progress for the night anyway. You can have the bathroom first," he offered. "It's just through that door."

She grabbed her pajama's and walked passed the fireplace, the couch and the four-poster bed into a small, curtained-off room that was a closet as well as a lavatory. She pulled her legs tiredly into the pajama bottoms, and then slid into the silky, long sleeved top. They were modest, and loose and terribly comfortable. Fiyero's mother at least had good taste in sleep-wear, though Elphaba wasn't sure what else to say for the woman. She didn't know her at all.

When she walked back into the main room she found Fiyero had built the fire up, a brave thing to do with a body made of straw. And he'd turned down the sheets on the bed and dimmed all the other lights in the room already.

"I don't suppose, I'll change into anything else tonight, these are comfortable enough to sleep in anyway," he said gesturing to the outfit he had on.

She nodded, it would do well enough for a while she supposed. Scarecrows probably didn't have to change clothes very often, at least ones who lived in palaces didn't. He wouldn't be that way for long anyway, she told herself. Tomorrow she'd get started to find a way to change him back into a man. Spells couldn't be reversed of course, but she saw no reason why placing another spell to turn him into a human again wouldn't work, it was just a matter of finding such a spell.

At once they climbed into the tall bed, fumbling to find a comfortable position and divvy out the blankets. Finally Elphaba lay nestled in the crook of Fiyero's arm, using his chest for a pillow and he placed both arms around her, careful not to scratch her with his straw, which poked through just a little between his glove and his sleeve. Elphaba couldn't remember being so comfortable in all her life.

"You do think you can change me back right?" Fiyero asked, after they'd lain, staring up at the canopy for a long while. His voice betrayed the first hint of nervousness he'd shown since they'd stood before the Dragon Time Clock.

"Yes," she answered after a minute. Hesitating just long enough to decide whether she really believed it or not.

"Okay," he said back, reassured at least that she believed she could. And if she believed then he did too. And that was enough for them.

Minutes later the two were sound asleep, comfortably off in dreamland where they wouldn't be plagued by any nightmares that night. Neither woke when the door opened just a smidgen and two pairs of eyes looked in. Two understanding pairs of eyes which just wanted to ensure that their son was home and safe and happy one more time that night before they themselves would close for sleep.

* * *

First chapter is done, wahoo! What'd ya think? I need lots of feedback for this one, I know where I want it to go but there are a lot of holes to patch and rough spots to smooth out so any help is beyond muchly appreciated. 


	2. Straw Crowns

**Ever After**

**Note to those who care or are wondering: Fiyero and Elphaba are both twenty-one at this point. I figure if they were seventeen (which is the number I have in my head) when they started Shiz and it took three years to graduate, add the time in between Fiyero's graduation and Elphaba's melting then that's about the age they oughta be. **

**Also, thanks so much for the wonderful reviews! Keep 'em coming!**

**Straw Crowns**

Something was wrong.

Sunlight was streaming through the window, outside some bird was singing a foreign song, and she wasn't alone. And Elphaba knew all of this without even opening her eyes. Slowly, cautiously she pried them apart, one eyelid after the other.

She'd been right about the sun, it was shining brightly through the window panes right on her face and she immediately squinted to ward it off. The bird was still trilling obnoxiously. And someone was lying next to her. Sort of. She was actually laying half on top of them, and their arms were wrapped firmly around her.

Slowly, her brain came online and she woke up fully, remembering the events of the last few days and her worry dissipated.

_This is what I get for going a week without sleep, _she thought, grumpily.

As she mulled over the memories that were so fresh but so distant all at once. Her heart hurt for Nessa, they hadn't been close during the past three years. But Elphaba had always been devoted to her little sister, always had a strange but powerful and protective love for the girl. And now she was gone. What hurt the most was the fact that their parting terms had been horrible, and Elphaba desperately wished she could turn back time and at least say goodbye to her sister properly.

Next came thoughts of Glinda, and that hurt just as much if not more. Sure their parting had been a little more pleasant, at least they'd bid farewell. But Glinda had been the sister Elphaba hadn't had. The friend who loved her in return, the one who would have done anything for Elphaba in the end, though it hadn't been easy for either of them to reach that point. She wished Glinda could at least know she was alive and well, that there was no reason to mourn the wicked.

Finally she was left to dwell on the events of the previous night, and acknowledge that she'd nothing to fear from the person she'd been sleeping on; after all he was her fiancé. A smile graced her lips and twinkled in her eyes as she remembered the words traded just before bed the night before.

Her eyes traced his cloth features. He didn't look so different than he had before; his eyes were the same, especially when they were open. His nose had somehow retained its perfect shape and his lips as well. His breathing was soft and regular and she wondered briefly what he dreamed about. She bit back a laugh at herself for thinking something so silly and unlike her.

Is this what love did to a person? She couldn't get enough of it, for the first time she felt happy, giddy even and she wanted to giggle like Glinda had so often. Maybe her blonde friend had been right, maybe love was worth the price paid. It was interesting how the tables had turned now, the lessons she'd finally learned.

After a while, slowly his burlap eyelids opened and azure eyes shined back up at her.

"Good morning," she said quietly.

"It is now."

Elphaba felt her cheeks heat up and could just imagine how green they'd gone. But all her self-consciousness drained away as he leaned up to kiss her deeply, in fact all thought drained away.

She pulled away after what seemed like forever and seconds all at once, flitterbys were flying madly through her stomach which was already doing flip-flops to begin with.

"Slow down there straw-boy, you better show me the library before you do that again."

Fiyero chuckled at her slightly unnerved amusement.

"With pleasure, but I think we had better make an appearance at breakfast before you run off to bury your nose in a book. Besides you haven't met all of my family yet and we have some explaining to do."

"Oh joy," the mirth left her face. This was the part she didn't like, the part where she had to attempt to rid the judgement from people. Most of the time her attempts fell to the wayside, but she wanted nothing more than for Fiyero's parents to accept her, to see past the rumors and lies and her skin.

She had nothing to worry about though; the Tiggulars were prepared to be more than understanding and merely accepting, just as their son had assured her. She just couldn't help it though.

"Alright I'll go get dressed," she rolled away from him and out of the large bed, making her way to the bathroom.

"There ought to be another dress in there for you," Fiyero called after her. He'd told his mother to have several sent up.

Minutes later she came out wearing a white number that did wonders for her skin. Where the black and navy she normally wore toned the color down, the white accentuated it, bringing out her exotic beauty. The cut wasn't unlike the frocks he remembered her wearing at Shiz, just made from nicer material.

"Don't you people make dark clothes? There were two other dresses in there; one was yellow and the other lavender."

Fiyero had to laugh at that, he couldn't imagine her in yellow, though lavender would probably look nice. But he couldn't get passed how enchanting she looked at the moment and told her so.

"Oh," she blushed again. "Well are you just going to stare all day, or are we going to go and get some breakfast that I heard about?"

"Oh yes," Fiyero said remembering himself. He offered her an arm, which she graciously took, and together they left for the dining room.

"So what are you going to tell your parents exactly to explain all this?" She asked as they walked through the halls.

"The truth. I thought I'd start with how we met at Shiz, and how you left to see the Wizard but when you refused to do his dirty work he had you ostracized." He stopped suddenly, realizing that there was a lot of this story that both of them were missing. "Glinda told me what happened when she got back, the truth, even though she'd been forbidden to. We started searching for you in secret, scoring newspapers for any news at all, and asking around to a few who supported you about your whereabouts. As soon as we graduated they offered Glinda her position as the Good Witch of Oz in return for her silence. Then they realized I knew the truth as well and the Wizard said he'd make me Captain of the Guard if I'd stay quiet. Actually I think it was so they could keep me directly under their thumbs, but I took it, figuring it would be easier to work with the Gale Force to find you than work against them."

"Why? I mean I'm grateful, and I'm glad but I still don't quite understand I guess. You had everything, Glinda the Good, a kingdom, the favor of the Wonderful Wizard, but you gave that up to love me instead. Why?"

"That day with the Lion cub," he said simply. "Everything changed that day. Nobody in my life had ever talked to me that way before, except maybe my parents. I've always gotten everything I ever wanted and I had the looks and money to make any girl swoon. Except one. You were different and suddenly your opinion mattered more than anything. I realized I was falling in love with you. I just never got the chance to say it."

"You tried at the train station," Elphaba said as it dawned on her why he'd been there that fateful day.

"Yes. Glinda always thought we were just friends, you and I, that I missed you exactly as she did. At least she carried on that way. I'm not sure Glinda ever thought exactly the way she behaved to make people think she did."

Elphaba smiled a bit remorsefully. "After we became friends I realized the same thing, she put on quite a show though."

"Well look at where that got us all." Fiyero said bitterly. Of course the last time he'd seen her, she'd apparently been springing the trap to capture them both.

"No," Elphaba had to correct him. "After all the song and dance Glinda really is exactly what she's called. Good. The Wizard and Madame Morrible couldn't corrupt that, she just had to realize it."

"Yeah well," Fiyero replied. He didn't sound particularly convinced but neither wanted an argument so they let it drop. "I think we've held breakfast long enough, we better get down."

Elphaba agreed and they made the rest of the short trek in silence, she still held his arm, but not quite as comfortably as before. It had been made clear to her once more that they had a lot of talking to do. However, changing him back into a human was still the foremost important thing, everything else would just have to wait a while.

When they arrived in the dining hall they found Fiyero's family already eating at the table. There were four new faces Elphaba didn't recognize that she could only assume belonged to his brothers and sisters.

"Sorry we didn't wait for you, we weren't sure if you'd be up to join us," Gwyn said from one end of the table. In one hand she held a spoon the other cradled a little bundle that was unmistakably a baby. The sight surprised Elphaba, who hadn't necessarily thought the woman would certainly be past child-bearing years but certainly wouldn't have believed her to have such a small one. Then again it could have been a grandchild she wasn't certain about Fiyero's siblings and whether they had families or not.

However, judging by his reaction that wasn't the case.

"Good Oz, who's this?" He exclaimed good naturedly.

"Certainly you got the letter we sent, or have you already forgotten your baby sister?"

Fiyero looked a little sheepish. "Not forgotten exactly, I just...wow."

He'd made his way to the end of the table, peering over his mother's shoulder to look at the little pink bundle. The child was wide awake and actually smiled at him as he reached a tentative finger to move the blanket away just a little.

"Hello little Kenna," he said softly, finally recalling the letter sent four months before informing him of his sisters birth. "I'm your big brother, I'm not much to look at but I'll bet you won't care just yet."

When he looked up from the girl he found his whole family smiling secretively at him, including Elphaba.

"What?" He asked no one in particular.

"Oh nothing," a chorus of voices replied.

"Hey Fiyero, who's your friend?" One young man, seated across from where Elphaba was standing asked. He was a replica of Fiyero, perhaps just a few years younger.

Fiyero turned his attention from Kenna back to Elphaba and he returned to her side, grasping her hand as he introduced her to the rest of his family.

"This is Elphaba Thropp," he looked to her as he continued, "my fiancée."

A few jaws dropped, and a cacophony broke out between everyone at the table.

"What happened to the blonde one?" Came one question.

"You? Settle down?" Came another.

"What she do to get landed with you?" The oldest boy who'd asked about Elphaba in the first place asked.

Elphaba was almost offended but then she realized the kid had been insulting his brother not her.

"Settle down a minute would ya?" Fiyero said, slightly surprised at the reaction himself. To Elphaba he said: "This is why people don't have big families anywhere else in Oz."

She giggled at that. She loved it. Even after a year they seemed close and none of them had reacted at all to their older brother's new look.

"Jeez, she hasn't even met you yet and you're jumping on her. Elphaba you know my father already but next to him is Kylan, the fiend next to him," he referred to the oldest, "would be Jeron. And to his left is Ronan. And beside you," he gestured to the young girl seated near where she stood. "Is Tierney."

"A pleasure," Elphaba said, feeling just a little overwhelmed. When Fiyero had mentioned he had siblings she hadn't expected five of them, including Kenna the newest. She'd never even seen such a large family. Some of the farmers in Munchkinland, she knew, had a good number of kids, but no one she'd ever met had more than three.

"What happened to your face Yero? You haven't looked this good since Jeron shoved you in the fertilizer pile ten years ago." One of his brothers, Kylan? commented.

Maybe she'd thought too soon about appearances and reactions.

But Fiyero took it entirely in stride. "I had a nasty run in with some Gale Forcers. We're working on it."

That seemed to satisfy them and Gwyn ushered them to sit down and get some food. Fiyero pulled out a chair for Elphaba and then sat down next to her.

"So you plan to get married then," Gwyn said conversationally, even if it was slightly forced.

Elphaba looked to Fiyero having decided he could find a good way to explain things since it was his family they were dealing with.

"Yes," he began, after sending a look in Elphaba's direction. "After we get me back to normal of course, but we're starting on that today so hopefully you'll be decorating the courtyard soon."

Gwyn pursed her lips at his smart remark. She wasn't entirely unsure they weren't rushing into things yet. After all they'd just received the news that he was planning to marry his good witch a week ago. Yet he'd brought the wicked one home.

She addressed her younger children, "Are you finished? I think it's time you made it down to the foyer to meet Sakir for your lessons."

Tierney, Ronan and Kylan, got up from the table and made their way out of the dining hall. They all looked just a little disappointed, knowing they were being excused because the conversation was about to get interesting. Jeron didn't budge, but looked at his mother obstinately. He'd been attending Shiz for the past two years and she couldn't use lessons as an excuse to send him out.

"Jeron would you mind taking Kenna up to Miss Mame for her nap?"

Dejectedly Jeron took the tiny girl from his mother and left as well, muttering that he was "nineteen years old," and that she ought to stop treating him like a little kid who was still in primary school.

"I'd best be going too love," Tiernan stood, "If we're going to get the secession to the Emerald City by tomorrow I have a lot of paperwork to sign. Apparently there's going to be trouble with the City already."

Gwyn looked utterly betrayed, she'd just got rid of half the family so they could have a grown up conversation with their recently-wayward son and now he was leaving her. And this wasn't going to be an easy conversation either.

"Don't look at me like that, you're the one who needs to know," the king said quietly, kissing her head before leaving.

Fiyero looked a little miffed as well, his father was easier to convince of things in general than his mother and he'd been counting on him to help keep things in perspective. He knew his mom was already well on her way to coming around to his and Elphaba's situation but it would have been so much simpler with his father there to help.

Elphaba just sat quietly hoping that Fiyero was prepared to do the talking now that they had to be serious and adult.

"Well then, Fiyero, with or without your father here I expect a straight story. You've had all year to come up with your excuses this time you might as well begin."

Elphaba hid her shock, she'd expected from the way Gwyn had been acting since their arrival the night before that something wasn't sitting right with the woman. But she'd hadn't expected that something to be _everything._

"This is not me getting kicked out of another college Mom, you don't need to use that tone with me now," Fiyero began.

"Well what am I supposed to think? You wait until graduation day to tell us you're planning to stay in the Emerald City to train fort the guard and date -oh what's her name, the good witch?"

"Glinda."

"To date Glinda, you don't write back more than once a month and we have to read the tabloids for news of you. And then all this chaos breaks out in the city, with all this wicked witch business and we're left in the dark until suddenly you write home telling your father to make his move and secede from Oz altogether because you've been turned into a Scarecrow and have to help the Witch escape, because you're both fugitives?" She raged, and for a moment Elphaba wondered if the real problem wasn't that all of these things had happened but because Fiyero had kept it from her for so long. "What's been going for the last year?"

Fiyero got up and moved, bravely, to sit before his mother and look her in the eye. He took her hand in his, silently trying to calm her down so he could explain. For a moment Elphaba hung back, for once in her life, unsure of what to do. Then he spared her a look and she got up to move next to him, understanding that all he needed was for her to back him up.

Now that they were right down to it however it wasn't as easy as he'd hoped it would be.

"Maybe the whole story isn't important now," he began, surprising both women, who'd expected him to start from the beginning. "I think what you need to know is that Elphaba is not the Wicked Witch you hear about in the news, and that I am in love with her. Can that be enough for you? I'm not proud of the choices I made in the last year, but I'm trying my best to fix the mistakes I've made. We're not rushing anything Mom," Fiyero assured her. "We've been in love for more than three years, and we both know we've got a long road ahead of us. But we both want to take that road together, rather than apart. We just couldn't do that until now."

"That doesn't explain anything. I'm glad you're both here of course, this isn't about that. I can see you're in love with her that's enough for me. And your father too. I don't need any more assurance than that to know she's a good person. I know you weren't truly in love with Glinda, otherwise you would have brought her home and that would have been the end of it."

Everyone present had to admit that was true at least.

" But this goes beyond the two of you I'm afraid, and you know this Fiyero. You have a responsibility to your people as well. You're asking her to be more than your wife now. You're asking her to be your Queen, did you tell her that?"

She turned from her son, who obviously hadn't paid attention to that particular detail, to Elphaba who needed to be enlightened.

"You do realize," Gwyn asked Elphaba, "that you two can't just get married; as soon as you marry my son you will be next in line to be queen. The second you told him you'd marry him you became a princess."

"No," Elphaba said with a look in his direction. "I mean I assumed once we got married, there I would be _something_, but you make it sound a lot more sudden than what I expected."

"It is sudden. I believe in Munchkinland you were slated to become the governess, a similar position to a queen here?"

"The position part is right, but I wasn't ever supposed to be Governess. My father passed the birthright to my sister."

"Alright, then had she married would her husband have shared her duties?"

"No, he would have been a figurehead. All title with no power."

"That's where our cultures diverge then. You see, no matter where you're from or your social status, the second you marry into the royal family you are a royal. As the crown princess you will have just as much responsibility to this country as Fiyero will. Are you prepared for that?"

Gwyn stared Elphaba down, not in a condescending way, but she was measuring her none the less.

Elphaba thought hard. Was she? She'd always been a leader, just without many followers. She'd majored in politics at school, at least mostly; the sorcery thing had been a fluke side class. After all, she couldn't become the Wizard's right hand girl without some knowledge of how to run his country when she was asked. Of course she hadn't graduated but somehow she believed she'd be ready to lead when called upon anyway. And it couldn't be said that she couldn't handle responsibility, after all she'd been expected to be responsible since Nessa had been born.

"Yes," Elphaba said finally.

She believed it too, and that kind of faith, that spark of leadership quality was what Gwyn needed to see to know that Elphaba was not just the correct choice to be Fiyero's lover but his partner and equal as well. By ensuring herself that Elphaba had what it took to inherit the throne, she felt she'd fulfilled her duty to her people as well as her son.

"Alright then, I suppose that as soon as you can get Fiyero back to normal you ought to be presented as the Crown Prince and Princess."

For some reason the news felt utterly rewarding and not entirely comforting to both Fiyero and Elphaba.

"Welcome to the family," Gwyn finished with flourish.

"So you're not concerned at all with what happened in the last year, to me? Just that I'd forgotten I have a job?" Fiyero had to tease.

"Son you're obviously going to be alright with this one by your side, but you have a tendency to blatantly disregard responsibility. And I suspected last night you hadn't explained much of what would happen to you both now that you're home."

"I was kind of glad to be alive."

"I also expect you have her to thank for that," Gwyn said with a conspirational smile for Elphaba. "I'm glad he's chosen you my dear, I don't know that I mentioned that. I like you, you've got spunk."

Elphaba couldn't help herself; she was elated with this acceptance. And Gwyn had suddenly been upped to one of the few people Elphaba honestly admired.

"Thank you."

"Now run along, I believe you have a spell to find."

Gwyn hugged and kissed her son, and to Elphaba's surprise there were both for her as well.

"Well that went slightly different than I had planned," Fiyero said as they walked out.

"Yes you might have mentioned something about becoming the crown princess when we get married," Elphaba said dryly.

"Forgive me it must have slipped my mind."

"Says the brainless scarecrow."

"Well I 'spose we ought to return me to the brainless prince, you wanna see the library?"

"Lead on straw-boy."

"You're not going to let that go are you?"

"I doubt it."

Fiyero laughed at that, figuring there were worse pet names to acquire.

"Alright then, Your Highness, if you'll just follow me." Two could play that game.

They made their way to the library, laughing merrily while they each butchered titles for the other. Neither having any doubt that Fiyero would be a 'Straw-boy' only in memory in a matter of hours. And both eagerly awaited the second that hour came.

**Okay chapter two, I apologize for all the explanations that we have to get through I promise the plot will sprout through soon enough. Thanks for reading, drop me a review I love to hear what you think, good or bad.**


	3. Easy As Life

**Ever After**

_**Easy As Life**_

The attic tower wasn't so very different than it had been three years before when she'd first stepped into. It was dustier, to be sure, but the only thing missing seemed to be the broom from the corner, and the cloak that had been draped over the chair on the far wall. Even the window, which Elphaba had crashed through to escape the guards, was still broken; the warm summer breeze sifted through it, ruffling Glinda's hair and her nightclothes gently.

Most people in the castle were asleep at this hour; it was nearly three in the morning. But she'd found herself to wired to sleep and was more than a little afraid to try. She hadn't gotten through the night without waking up in a cold sweat since it had happened. Elphaba's screams for help were the only thing she could hear and the image of the lonely hat was the only one she could see.

She crossed to the window, clutching her old, leather bound book as if it were the last thing holding her to the world. Far below the tower laid the city square. She could see most of the city itself, the lights anyway, and the faint but eerie green glow cast by all the emerald workings. Far beyond the city streets lay the Great Kells, dark and somehow protecting, though whether they were protecting the City from the west or the west from the City she couldn't say.

She watched the western, sky, though the sun had set long before and there wasn't really anything to look at since the lights drowned out the stars. But she once been told to look to the western sky for someone, and the western sky seemed to be the only place left to look.

"But where are you now Elphaba?" Glinda asked the heavens, which were utterly devoid of a familiar figure zooming around the night air. "I certainly haven't been able to find you."

The last words were bitter, a tone nobody in all of Oz would have expected their beautiful, bubbly new leader capable of projecting. But she couldn't help it. This was the time she needed Elphaba the most, the Wizard was finally gone and they were supposed to have made the Emerald City their home. They were supposed to have returned Oz to the magically glorious place it had once been, the place that only the oldest of elders remembered now.

It had only been seven days and she was already cursing herself for making that promise to Elphaba. It would have been worth the fight to have her here by her side. She needed Elphaba, as much as she may have been loath to admit it, best friend or not. But all she had left was the book, the hat and the broom (which she'd confiscated from the Wizard).

Glinda set the Grimmerie down softly on the hard wood floor and made her way back to the oddly shaped sack she'd left at the door. Inside was the broom itself, which she placed back in the corner. Next came the hat, which went where the cloak had once been. The green bottle came last, she hadn't wanted to keep it at first, but it had been important to Elphaba and so was important to Glinda, so she'd hide it away up in the tower where no one would bother to go and look for such things.

When the remnants of her friend were placed with care where she felt they best belonged, she returned to the window, sitting down before the Grimmerie, cross-legged like she'd seen Elphaba do once.

Tentatively, she fingered the worn cover and slid it open to reveal the aged pages inside. Words twirled and danced before her but she found herself focusing on a few, though she had no idea what they meant when she was finally able to sound some out.

"Ah mae, tiordi..." she drifted off as the words made less and less sense. Then again they were ancient spells, they didn't have to make sense. Leave it to Elphaba to show her she had some sense and then bestow her with a book that didn't make any.

She rifled through the pages slowly, looking for the spell she'd witnessed Elphaba use to enchant the broom into flying. Finally she found it, recognizing the swirly design on the page from memory. Then she read and reread the spell. Over and over again until she was sure she knew the words, how to pronounce them and say it without looking.

She shut the book and carefully placed it under a loose floorboard beneath the broken window.

She just wanted to see…

She returned to her chambers, the only other place in the whole palace she could go for a modicum of privacy. Once inside she looked around, wondering what to try the spell on. She didn't necessarily want to _actually_ fly on it, she had the bubble for that, but she just wanted to see if she could do just one of the spells from the Grimmerie.

Her eyes fell on the bathrobe, which was hanging on the door that led to the bathroom. That might work. She took it off the hook and laid it on the floor and then knelt over it.

"AHVEN, TATEY, AVEN TATEY AVEN... AH MAY AH TAH TAY MAY TU SE SAY TA!" She said, waving her hands over it just as she'd seen Elphaba do so long ago.

Nothing happened. But maybe it just had to be put on first. She threw it on over her pajamas. Still, nothing happened.

"Fly!" She commanded the cloth shrilly. "Defy Gravity! Do your thing!"

Nothing.

"Fine," she shucked the robe and chucked it in the general direction of the bathroom. She hadn't expected it to work, not much ever did. She didn't know why she'd gotten her hopes up.

She pursed her lips and looked at her big, pink bed. It was so cliché and yet comforting at the same time, Glinda couldn't remember _not_ having a big, pink bed, with frills and a canopy any girl would love. It reminded her of home, it also reminded her of Shiz.

She was finally tired enough to sleep, at least, she thought she was. She might have been too tired to really think about it. She climbed into the bed, her anger and disappointment over the spell dissipating as her thoughts turned once again to Elphie.

The next day would mark the first week since her death. It would also mark Glinda's first official day in office, there would be a paperwork to sift through, bans to begin lifting (starting with the ones on Animals and then something would have to be done about Munchkin Land) and appointments to keep.

She finally drifted off to sleep, listing things she'd have to do the next day, and mentally squaring off some time to devote to studying the Grimmerie. If she was ever going to make robes and brooms fly she had a lot of work ahead of her, a lot of sacrifices to make. Elphaba was going to end up owing her big time. She hoped makeovers were permitted in the afterlife.

That night, for the first time in seven, she didn't wake up with bloodcurdling screams echoing through her head. For once the nightmares were gone and she dreamt of memories, of many makeovers and late-night chats in a dorm room at a university.

* * *

The next morning found Glinda in her office on the other side of the palace. A cup of coffee and a breakfast roll were sitting near her elbow, barely touched. Reading glasses were perched on her nose and she was engrossed in a list of Animal Bans. Also sitting atop her desk was another roll of parchment addressing the suppressions of the Munchkins under the government of Nessarose Thropp. There was another roll as well, this one was different though, and it was sealed with the signet of the house of Tiggular. She just hadn't noticed that yet.

Lifting the Animal Bans wasn't going to be easy, she'd have to be careful or people would start believing she'd been in cahoots with the Witch. Which, technically she was, she intended to do this more for Elphaba than any Animals she'd met, except perhaps Dr. Dillamond. But it was going to be slow, subtle work.

Finally, an hour later, Glinda put the parchment down. Her head hurt from all the reading and planning as to how exactly she was going to present this to her people and to the Council. She fully intended to turn her attention to her breakfast for two minutes, but her eyes finally fell on the letter.

She wondered what it could be; she hadn't expected to hear from the Tiggular family. Even if she had been engaged to their son two weeks before she'd only met them once, and hadn't even thought to send her condolences over his loss. Though now that she had, she made a note to do it before the day was out.

She took up the roll and unsealed it, examining the contents. And was surprised to find that it was not meant for her, and also dated from the week before. Surely mail travel in the Vinkus wasn't that slow.

_To His Esteemed Wonderfulness, The Wizard of Oz:_

_His Majesty, King Tiernan, head of the Arjiki people, and leader of the people of the Vinkus regrets to inform Your Wonderfulness, that the alliance between the West and Oz has fulfilled its purpose and its end. This letter and the following documents are to be the final secession from Oz entirely. It has become apparent that the course of Oz and that, which is best for the people of the Vinkus, has reached a turning point, and from now onward shall be going separate ways._

_Oz speed, and Lurline let the road rise to meet you,_

_His Highness_

_King Tiernan Fiyero Tiggular_

_Her Majesty_

_Queen Gwynigael Akkenna Tiggular_

_And_

_Saphiron Sumgood_

_High Councilman_

_Princess Nastoya_

_Leader of the Yunamata_

_Blune Agrin_

_Chieftain of the Scrow_

Glinda let the first page slide to the desk and examined the second, finding only the necessary legal documents required for secession.

This was horrible; the Vinkus couldn't leave the union. Not now that the Wizard was gone, and changes were to be made. It was the last thing she needed as well, as a new leader, to have a country go independent before she even had a chance to begin her term.

She tugged out her own piece of parchment and an emerald pen, addressing their Highnesses Tiggular'. Asking that they reconsider their decision on account of the regime change sealed it and set it aside to send down to the post when she got the chance. While she was at it she pulled out one more, and scrolled a quick letter of sorrow for their loss and sealed it for post too.

After finally tending to her breakfast she went back to work, this time reviewing the problems of the Munchkins.

"Your Goodness?" A voice from the doorway beckoned, hours later.

"Yes," Glinda answered, looking up from the files full of chemically aged paper.

"Ma'am, your supper is waiting, and your dinner guest has arrived." Aliira, her new aide, told her.

Oh yes, she'd forgotten about the dinner date with Sir Chuffrey. To be honest she wasn't looking forward to it and the work before her had allowed her to forget. Chuffrey was a business tycoon, and an old one at that. But rumors were, the sixty-year-old knight had had his eye on her for some time, and now that her fiancé was out of the picture, he was moving in. How wretchedly disgusting.

Yet there she was, bound by the laws of etiquette and protocol to entertain him for the evening, his social and political standing had made it incredibly hard to decline his request to dine with her.

"All right, thank you Aliira. I'll be down in a clock-tick.

The girl curtsied and made her way out the door. In a brief moment of reflection Glinda realized that Aliira wasn't really a girl at all, she couldn't have been much younger than Glinda herself was.

"Aliira," Glinda called out to stop her, needing to satiate some curiosity.

"Yes ma'am?"

"How old are you Aliira?"

"Nineteen ma'am."

Glinda nodded her dismissal, and the young woman left.

No she wasn't a girl at all, she was older than Glinda had been when she had started at Shiz. Aliira ought to have been going there as well, goodness knew she was smart enough. But then she supposed the position of aide to the Good Witch of Oz wasn't a terrible place for a middle-class woman with no degree to be employed with. She made more than many who did have a college education and lived in a palace to boot. And Glinda didn't consider herself a terrible person to work for. Not after only a week at least.

She still couldn't help thinking that her assistant ought to have had the experience of college life though, the fun part at least. She'd certainly enjoyed her own. Mostly. Though she was six months out, Glinda found herself missing life as a student. Things had been so much simpler then. She'd been in love, had no one to be responsible to but herself, and nothing to do but study a bit and spend a lot of time with friends.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Aliira, who'd lingered at the doorway, asked.

'Ma'am,' Glinda thought, 'I'm only twenty-one, that's hardly old enough to be called ma'am. Especially not by one only two years younger than I.'

"Yes of course," Glinda replied, remembering the question. It had been a long day, and the secession of Vinkus had given her quite a shock. She voiced that a little, "It's just been a long day."

"And longer if you don't mind me saying so," Aliira said with a wicked glint in her eye. "Sir Chuffrey seems to be the type who enjoys a good long meal, if you know what I mean."

"Wonderful," Glinda muttered.

"If it would help I'll lock up in here, and have the cook slip some of your headache pills onto your dinner plate."

"Aliira you're far too good to me, that would be marvelous."

Both had to laugh at that, neither could help it and it felt really good. Glinda hadn't laughed enough in the past weeks. A rumble in her stomach ended it though, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast and dinner was waiting for her call.

"Well I guess that means I can't hold off any longer." She said, getting up from her chair.

She straightened her dress and tiara until both were perfect, and set her face to its characteristic (if currently forced) bubbly expression. And left the office for the dining hall. She waited at the door a heartbeat while she was announced before regally striding in.

Sir Chuffrey was standing at the far end of the table. He wore a fashionably tailored suit, which failed to completely disguise his girth, and an almost pleasant smile. He waited for her to take her seat before creaking into his own chair.

She would have found him charming if he were decades younger. As it was she would have called him the doting, grandfather type if he weren't looking for her romantic attentions.

"Lady Glinda, I can't begin to express how delighted I am that you've taken the time to grace me with your presence," he said, as the first course was brought out.

'You gotta be kidding me,' she thought.

"The pleasure is mine I'm sure," she said. It would have made her manners-minded mother proud.

And so dinner began, Sir Chuffrey dove into regaling her with boring tales of his business dealings and far more tedious detailing of his service under the last Ozma, spicing it all up with over done compliments to her beauty and power.

Glinda knew she had her shallow days, but even on the worst of them she wouldn't have been flattered or impressed by this talking hot air balloon.

She sat through it all, nodding in all the right places and occasionally forcing some wattage into her smile for appearances sake. She was sure she was going to be eternally indebted to Aliira and the cook for slipping her the migraine pills at the beginning of the meal.

At last, nearly two hours after it had begun, dinner ended. Though Sir Chuffrey had to be heavily persuaded that it was in deed time for him to depart and that she had no free time for a cup of tea. At all. For the next month…He finally left.

Glinda slumped back into her chair. Glad to finally unscrew her smile and take a breather.

Chuffrey was a nice enough old fellow she guessed. For a rich, pompous old windbag anyway. His attentions were still creepy, and she wanted none of it. But it did remind her that she was officially in the market for the first time in nearly four years. She wasn't sure that was a good thing.

She had loved Fiyero, been in love with him even. She'd known he wasn't exactly head-over-heels for her, particularly towards the end of their relationship. But that didn't mean she was ready to move on as soon as he was gone. It still hurt that he was no longer there, that he'd been in love with someone else, most of all that he was dead. She wanted to find love again, just not immediately. Maybe not until she'd waved the country into shape and she could really pay attention to it. And certainly not in a man who could have been her grandfather.

She thought sardonically of the irony of it all. The wicked witch had ended up with the handsome prince. The good girl had landed the country but not the happily ever after. But she supposed she had her whole life to work on that last bit. And it wasn't going to come until she got some sleep.

So she bid goodnight to Aliira on her way to her chambers and made way to bed. She didn't sleep quite as well as the previous night. But it wasn't awful either. It would get better; making it better was as easy as life after all.

**Ta da! There's Glinda. Do that thing you do and drop me a review, I'm dying to know what you thought of this chapter. I think I liked it, it's kind of reflective, but under the circumstances I felt Glinda needed a little time for reflection and a realization of how much she's changed. However, I'm sure my opinion isn't entirely objective. Toodles, until the next one, which will hopefully be less of a pain in my blissful blondish brain.**


	4. Human Again

**Ever After**

**Human Again  
**

**I am so sorry, for those who cared, that this took so long to get put up. Now that it has been I think I like it, when do I ever know? So read and tell me what ya think.**

Books were everywhere. Iisen Lier's library was monolithic, bigger even, that the one at Shiz. It was located just below the living quarters and took up a good portion of the north wing. A whole tower, this one accessible through the library only, was devoted to magic. Spell books and rare trinkets and talismans were spread over the room. Elphaba had been astounded by it. Apparently the royal family had been collecting magic artifacts for generations, the Vinkus had been one of the few remaining places in Oz where such "archaic" items were used, needed or revered.

After a full week spent in that very tower though, Elphaba was getting sick of all the literature and the objects that weren't being very helpful. She'd scoured through at least half of the books, and Fiyero had been searching the other half, occasionally with Tierney's help. But not one of them contained a spell for turning something into a human. Evidently people hadn't had much use for it, sorcerers were always turning people into toads and such, but very few toads seemed to have deserved the rank of being a people.

Needless to say Elphaba was not a happy witch, and her sour mood was beginning to rub off on her fiancé.

"Elphaba, look," Fiyero said. "Why don't we call it a night? We've been in here a week straight and you need some real food and sleep."

"That's not important right now Fiyero," she replied, not even looking up from her book.

"Yes it is," he insisted. "You can't turn me back into a man if you're too tired anyway."

"Well it won't matter whether I'm tired or not if I don't find a spell," she replied irritably. "You would think with all these books we'd find something useful for a change."

"Hey calm down, okay. It's gonna be alright. This is just taking a little longer than we expected is all. It's nothing to get worked up over." Fiyero said, doing his best to soothe her.

Unfortunately she was already worked up and he wasn't helping.

"No it's not alright! Okay! It's just not! The spell was never meant to turn you into a Scarecrow to begin with. The solution is so simple. This is the one thing I've ever done I have the chance to rectify and I am going to do it!"

She'd at least looked up from her book this time. Though from the way her temper was threatening to flare Fiyero almost wished she hadn't. He'd heard it said sometimes that when a person got mad they got fire in their eyes. With Elphaba that description was almost literal, he could practically see the flames in her irises and sparks flying from her fingertips.

"Look sweetheart…

"Don't you _dare_ 'sweetheart' me Fiyero Tiggular!" Elphaba raged. "There are worse things than being a Scarecrow, and there are plenty of spells for _that_ in these books!"

"CALM DOWN!" Fiyero yelled back at her.

Both were nose to nose now. Toe to toe. And neither of them was accustomed to giving an inch. Fiyero because he'd never really had to and Elphaba because she'd quickly learned that it was the only way to be when you're green.

However, Fiyero's hollering surprised them both. Elphaba's temper was to be expected, her sarcasm and lack of patience were practically legendary. But Fiyero had rarely cared about anything enough to fight over it. They'd never had an actual fight either.

After several deep breaths Elphaba was at least able to stop herself from _really _losing her temper and making things worse. Fiyero had been wise enough to allow her a moment to do so. She was right after all, there were much worse things than being a Scarecrow. He shuddered at the thought, though he didn't actually believe she'd carry through with her threat.

When Elphaba did finally speak again her eyes were cold and calculating, though on closer inspection Fiyero could see some of the caring love she was so capable of. And also guilt. She had something up her sleeve he just didn't know what.

"Fine. Go downstairs and I'll meet you in an hour for lunch and I promise I won't come back up here until tomorrow."

Well that had been easy. If he hadn't been so relieved he would have thought it too easy.

"Okay then, I'll have Magda make something good. Do you want to eat in the room or in the dining hall?"

"Kitchen's fine if it's allowed," Elphaba replied shortly.

"It's allowed. I'll meet you there one hour from now," he agreed, sensing that she needed some space for at least that long.

"I'll see you then."

As he retreated from the tower and out of the library he shot a grin over his shoulder.

"Don't be late," he jibed; only half-kidding.

"I won't be," she promised in return. And she wouldn't, he deserved that much. He was only trying to help her and _he_ was the one stuck in the straw boy act.

Truthfully Elphaba was hatching a plot. A not entirely un-deceptive plot and that was why she hadn't put up a larger fight over the issue of a break. She'd had to sacrifice the battle to hope of winning the war.

After three days of searching magic books she'd realized that the chances of finding a proper humanifying spell were slim. The books in this library weren't quite that advanced, there were some good ones of course but transformation spells were generally more complex than uttering an incantation and letting the magic happen.

The Grimmerie was the only book she could think of or knew of that detailed the kind of sorcery needed for such a feat as to turn an already bewitched man back into a man. Unfortunately she'd left the book with Glinda, she hadn't truly believed she'd need it because she hadn't been entirely convinced of her future at that point.

So the Grimmerie was in the Emerald City and she couldn't very well waltz over there and just borrow it for a bit. Fiyero would probably lock her in a bedroom just for thinking about it. And yet she was.

She waited until she heard the door snick shut tightly and until she could no longer hear Fiyero's footsteps echoing down the hall before rushing over to the opposite side of the room and pulling out an old manuscript she'd found days before. There weren't any spells for turning Scarecrows into humans but that didn't necessarily mean that it wasn't useful.

She sifted through the pages until she found the particular two she was looking for. She had come across them and filed them away for later use, an idea already sprouting in her mind. After carefully disentangling the pages from the leather ties that bound it to the rest of the manuscript and reading them through thoroughly a couple times she rolled the pages up and placed them in one of the deep pockets in the gown she was wearing.

Elphaba spent the rest of her designated hour searching for anything else she might find useful and then as promised went down to join Fiyero for lunch.

* * *

Elphaba slowly rolled away from Fiyero's sleeping form. The sun had set hours ago but she'd had to wait until everyone else in the palace, including her fiancé, was sound asleep, even if it cost her precious time. She was finally sure he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, she was able to slide out of the bed and pad her way into the bathroom to change.

She pulled a pair of black trousers out from the closet and a heavy, matching shirt. To her dismay she'd acquired a rather large wardrobe since her arrival, Gwyn had been rather insistent that she have several outfits to choose from and "several" had ended up taking up half of Fiyero's closet. The trousers had been an odd choice she'd admit, women in Oz didn't often wear them, not because it was frowned upon so much as dresses were "in" and pants weren't. However, trousers would suit her mission that night just perfectly.

Once she completed the outfit with black boots, she took her cloak (which had been washed) off its hook and shrugged into it. She stole a glance into the mirror and briefly imagined she'd resemble a shadow once she pulled the hood up. That was good, shadows were hard to see and follow.

Elphaba quietly crept back into the main room and to the bed where she pulled an already-prepared note out from beneath her pillow and laid it on top of the mattress where she should have been laying. Were Fiyero to wake up she didn't want him to panic and she thought the note would sufficiently allay his fears. Allay them long enough for her to return anyway.

With a final, long, glance at the man she loved she fled the room. She'd wasted enough time already.

She ran down the halls of Iisen Lier, her steps barely whispering against the rug in the corridors. Finally she reached her destination: the library. Once inside the gargantuan room she made her way through the darkness to the tower where she'd left one of the neatly folded pages from the books she'd been looking through earlier. Behind the cushions of the oversize chair that had become 'hers' in the past week, was nestled a broom and a necklace. Both had been enchanted, though for different reasons. The broom was to be her new steed, since her old one was currently prisoner to the Wizard or one of his cronies. The necklace would be a gift, once she found the recipient.

Without looking back she crossed to the window and gently pushed the pane open. She tucked the necklace and paper deep into a pocket and, grasping the broom tightly, leapt from the window ledge. Wind gushed past her cheeks and through her hair as he ground came rushing up at her. She quickly pushed the broom beneath her and willed it upwards. The magicked broom pulled them both out of the dive and with in seconds she was soaring over the treetops with only the stars for company.

Oh but it felt marvelous to be flying once more! She hadn't realized how much she'd missed it, missed the rush and the freedom and for a little while she indulged in reveling in the feeling. But she'd be coming upon her first destination soon and would have to return to paying attention.

She'd intended to fly directly to the Emerald City, but then realized that not only was that dangerously stupid but it would certainly take too long, and time was a commodity she couldn't afford to waste. She absolutely had to be back before dawn, or the whole thing would be for naught. So she'd decided, distaste or not, that going back to the City by portal was her best option. And she had to get to the Emerald City; the Grimmerie was Fiyero's only chance of being human again.

Once of the pages in her pocket contained an incantation for an invisibility charm, which she intended to use to sneak into Glinda's and borrow the Grimmerie for long enough to get another spell and drop her 'gift' off. Unfortunately invisibility charms were notoriously frenetic and didn't last very long, it was also dangerous to layer them; one wouldn't want to disappear oneself entirely after all. Which was why she was going to wait until she got to the City to use it.

She was coming up on the little valley where the portal she and Fiyero had used was located, and she dipped in the air to hug the treetops even closer. Her boots brushed the taller trees and she had to dodge a few of the tallest entirely. Eventually she ducked through the branches and landed neatly in the meadow where she and Fiyero had ended up after their little 'hop', rather more gently than the previous time she'd landed there too.

Just as she'd remember the enormous tree with the tube-slide gap in its trunk towered near a pond. The light wasn't quite as good as it had been a week ago, the sun had set already after all, but the general effect was the same.

Broom firmly in hand she approached the portal tree and stepped through the whole, praying as she went that her scheme would work and that portals weren't one-way-only. As soon as all of her was inside the whole she felt the familiar vacuum sucking, ripped-off-her-feet feeling and the portal engaged.

Minutes later, or was it seconds, popped out the other end. This time she was prepared for the sudden onslaught of gravity and deftly maneuvered her broom to defy it. Elphaba found herself hovering just below the face of the Clock of the Time Dragon, according to the barely-moving hands she had a little over three hours now to complete her task.

She pushed the broom to float to the shadows between buildings and gracefully dismounted. Around her emerald gleamed everywhere, it was in the walls and the streets, even the water in the fountains was green. But that was to her advantage, she'd blend in perfectly, a dark green shadow creeping through the night. Not even that, once she got her spell worked.

She tugged the bit from the manuscript out of her pocket and hissed the words out. As soon as her lips finished forming the last syllable she felt the spell take effect. It was an odd feeling being erased from sight. She watched the broom, which she'd continued to hold, disappear first, and then her hand and then slowly the cloak until all of her was gone. Entranced at her handy-work she waved her fingers before where her eyes should have been and saw nothing.

"Wicked," she whispered, delighted in spite of herself.

Now that she couldn't be seen she ventured out into the street. The Time Dragon Clock was located in the center of town, the Emerald Palace was just across the street and unless she was mistaken she was currently standing in the alley next to Glinda's apartment building, her best-friends room would be the suite at the top facing the palace.

Fearless from her invisibility to the world she sat on her broom and glided to the top window of the building and tried to peer inside. It wasn't any use; the rooms were dark and the curtains drawn besides. Elphaba gave a gentle tug at the windows and found it to be locked; its companions were as well. She'd have to go through the main door.

Seconds later her feet hit cobblestones once again and she strode to the main entrance. A lonely doorman stood behind the gold and glass of the door. He was half asleep and she breezed through it, leaving the guard confused but oblivious in her wake.

"The wind these days."

Elphaba heard him mutter as he returned to his post and she jogged to the stairs. Not bothering to wasted time climbing them all she mounted the broom and sped to the top floor. It was not an easy feat in the switch-backed stairwell, especially on the broom that wasn't quite as aerodynamic as the last one had been, but she made it and in good time.

She found the outer-penthouse suite to be ludicrously decorated in pink and knew she had the right place. But she'd known that anyway, from her activist days (that weren't so far behind her) she knew the ins and outs of the various homes of the Wizard and his stooges, and she hadn't been above knowing the floor plan to the home of the woman who had been her best-friend.

The entrance to the apartment was locked of course, but a quick unintelligible spell solved that and she walked inside to find…an empty apartment. Anger coursed through her veins.

"Glinda what in Oz? I leave you alone for a week and you run out on me!" She seethed, not so much at Glinda herself but the fact that she wasn't where she was supposed to be.

With a swirl of her seemingly non-existent cloak she turned and exited the room. This time as she crossed the thresh-hold she noticed the envelopes that lay before the doorway. She stooped and picked them up, she was almost startled to see them hovering seemingly by themselves in midair but it passed and she read the backs.

_Forward to the Emerald Palace C/O Glinda the Good_

The words were printed in gold above the original address which was the location where she currently standing. She'd moved to the Palace? Well that was going to put a wrench in her spokes. The palace was huge and even if she did know the floor plan she had no idea where to find her friend.

Unfortunately she had nowhere else to look and trying the rooms of the Palace was as good a place as any.

Elphaba went back into the apartment, closed and relocked the door and found herself leapt out another window heading straight for the Palace, once again grateful for the spell that that was making travel relatively easy for her. She soared over the gates and the courtyard heading to the west side and higher toward the first window she jumped out of, almost four years before.

As she approached the high tower she noticed something different, the airless feeling she'd had since working her charm had disappeared and suddenly she realized she could not only see the broom but her own hands grasping the neck as well.

"Oh sh…

She urged the broom faster, cursing it's slowness and resolving she may as well look for her old one while she was there. But that was the least of her worries, below her guards stood at attention and should they look up the moonlight was bright enough to let them see her easily. The window (still broken open since the last time she'd used it) drew tantalizingly close as her all too visible hair fought the wind and flew in her face.

"Come on!" She whispered, desperately begging whatever god was listening to put some favor on her just this one time.

Just as the clock in the square tolled three o'clock she burst into the attic, skidding to a stop and breaking against the wall.

Elphaba sank to the floor gasping for breath that she hadn't realized she'd lost, and thanking whomever or whatever had seen her through the ordeal.

"So much for six hours of invisibility guaranteed," she mumbled, quoting the stupid spell book that had given her the charm in the first place. At least it had bought her enough time to get there.

She eased to her feet and for the first time looked around he room, removing her hood so it wouldn't interfere with the view. It was the same as she remembered, but as she turned her eye caught a new addition. _The hat._ She'd left it for Glinda and now it adorned the spot the cloak she now wore had once occupied. She had to smile at that.

Upon closer inspection she found her mother's bottle next to the hat. She looked but didn't touch wondering if it were at all possible…it was; the broom was in the corner where she'd found it what seemed like a lifetime ago. She nearly giggled with glee, this was something only Glinda would do and it was to her fortune that the reminiscing blonde had returned the objects to an appropriate spot.

Carefully Elphaba replaced the new broom for the old one, which she considered better though it was slightly charred at the ends. Now if only the Grimmerie was there as well. It would have to be since it would seem Glinda had deemed this place not only worthy enough (worthy _that_ was a thought) but safe enough to house her effects. Her eyes traced the room before falling to a floorboard that was slightly out of place. It seemed a little too easy, for it to be there but it was. When she pulled the board loose there it was, the Grimmerie, in all its old glory.

She tugged the ancient book out of its nook and flipped it open; searching for the spell until she found the one she was looking for. A humanifying spell. It seemed by the illustrations and the funny words to be all she'd hoped for and more. She couldn't explain how she could read the funny language of the spell book but it just made sense to her. Carefully, she tore the page from the book; wincing as she realized that this was the third precious book she defiled that day.

_It's for a good cause, _she reminded herself and tucked it away.

Elphaba replaced the Grimmerie to it's resting place almost reverently, wondering if it would be better to just take it with her. She decided against it though, she'd trusted Glinda with it because Glinda would need it now more than she. There was no reason to take it and betray that trust.

Her main goal was nearly complete now and there was only one thing left there to do. And that wouldn't get completed in the attic tower; she'd have to venture into the main building, with or without the charm.

She ducked into her hood again and made her way down from the room into the looming corridors of the Palace, wandering as quickly as she could through the halls looking for a trace of pink or any other clue that might have lead her to her friend's rooms.

The corridors were dark, and she met no one on her way through them but she stayed close to the walls and darted around corners anyway. She was nearly ready to give in and simply leave the necklace with the broom or Grimmerie in the attic when she came across an elaborate set of doors that exuded Glinda.

The elaborate handles were made of pink quartz and a twisted 'G' that must have been a lock of some kind was set above it. Elphaba decided there was no harm in peeking in to see if she was correct in her destination, she'd been lucky enough for the majority of the night. She pushed at the latch and the great doors swung open enough to allow her in.

Inside she found an elaborate and large room. A fireplace that held smoldering coals occupied most of the right-ish wall (the room was circular so she couldn't designate direction perfectly). Before her were elaborate glass doors, with trim to make it look like a large puzzle, loomed and she imagined they led to a balcony.

Finally to her left, her eyes fell upon the huge pink monstrosity that contained Glinda herself, sleeping soundly and snoring daintily. Elphaba smiled at the memory it brought. She'd once shared a room with an enormous pink bed (though not as extravagant as this by any means) and there had been many nights she'd been kept awake by that dainty snoring. It had seemed almost hellish at the time but now she only looked back with fondness, she supposed time and distance did that to memories.

Wraithlike Elphaba approached the bed, and it's sleeping contents. She stopped at the nightstand at silently lay the necklace on top of it, she fished out the page from the spell book, which had become a note paper as well, the message was simple:

_I've been changed for good._

When she'd scrawled the words out she'd worried they wouldn't impress Glinda enough to keep it with her, but eventually decided they were plenty. The necklace itself wasn't extraordinary, especially when compared to any of the other accessories she knew her friend possessed. It was a tiny silver chain with miniscule pink beads; the charm was a tiny piece of green glass Elphaba had picked up in the Quadling Country at one point when she'd been an activist. It was the charm on the charm that was important, it was directly linked with her crystal ball, which Gwyn and Tiernan had managed to have salvaged from Kiamo Ko, and would allow her to keep an eye on her friend from a distance.

She didn't expect any trouble for Glinda, all of Oz loved her, but tables turned quickly she'd learned, and she wasn't going to risk leaving Glinda in a lurch. Especially if the would-be Good Witch didn't learn to use the Grimmerie properly. It was the kind of thing Fiyero would probably think silly, and also worry about if he knew she'd been close enough to the City to actually give it to Glinda. But Elphaba needed the connection to the only friend she'd ever had, whether or not she was supposed to be dead.

Elphaba stole another look at her friend, one for the road. Glinda didn't appear anymore worse for ware. She was sleeping peacefully enough; her perfect curls caught the moonlight and released it against the pillows, her skin flawless as ever and her expression smooth. In sleep, covered in pink from head to toe, literally, Elphaba imagined, Glinda looked like a little girl. Elphaba supposed neither of them were old enough to be grown up yet anyway. But daylight and duty aged them both beyond their years, it was only night that brought youth and innocence anymore.

Caught in her ruminations and reminiscing Elphaba failed to keep track of time. So when her gaze accidentally fell on the bedside clock she was startled to find she only had an hour to get home if she wanted to get back by sunrise.

She'd thought that finding the Grimmerie and getting the spell would be the hard part, but she found that leaving Glinda behind for the second time was the second hardest thing she'd ever done. Leaving her and Fiyero behind four years ago had been the first.

"Elphie," A tired, high-pitch voice spoke from below her.

_Oh Oz,_ Elphaba thought. She'd been caught.

"You should have left the flower in, it was pretty. I told you pink goes good with green."

_She's still asleep, _she realized, daring to steal a glance at Glinda. She was surprised to find blue eyes staring back up at her, but they didn't hold much coherence.

"Go back to sleep, I'll wear it tomorrow." Elphaba assured her softly, attempting to make her fall back asleep. It worked; Glinda was out like a light clock tiks later.

Sad as she was to say goodbye once more Elphaba bid a silent farewell and slipped through the balcony door. Once on the balcony, she mounted her broom once more and flew as high as she could as fast as she could, the more familiar seat did seem to do her bidding a little better. Once she was high enough to be nothing but another dark spot between stars she raced toward the square and dive-bombed the Clock, remembering she didn't have the luxury of invisibility this time.

With no further mishaps though she disappeared through the clock for the final time, and then was off toward her new home.

* * *

A silvery streak was just forming over the Kells when she landed on the balcony that led to Fiyero's bedroom. She cautiously went inside, hoping he'd slept through the night and hadn't woken up still. She found him in nearly the same position she'd left him in, sleeping soundly. 

Slipping into the bathroom she secured the broom behind her clothes and stripped from her outfit, replacing it and hoping nothing looked like it had been used. She slid back into her nightclothes and, armed with the page from the Grimmerie, went back into the room.

She discreetly made her way to Fiyero's side of the bed and unfolded the paper. Her last thoughts before she focused on the spell were prayers that Fiyero would wake up whole, and that he wouldn't wake up until the spell was over.

"_Akele nemhan a mut a mut akele nemhan. Akele nemhan a mut a mut akele nemhan. Aqui digi teri um_!" She chanted passionately, searching for that power she knew she possessed, the power that had turned him into a Scarecrow in the first place.

Nothing happened when she finished. Fiyero lay motionless except to snore, which he'd been doing to begin with. Elphaba's heart sank and she wondered if she ought to try again. This had to work; it was their last hope. Tears gathered in her eyes as she realized she'd failed him again. Her abilities had always caused more harm than good, and this would be the final testament to that.

One single tear barreled over her eyelashes obstinately, despite her attempts to keep it at bay. She half expected him to wake up at that moment but he remained in his oblivious slumber.

Defeated, depressed and absolutely exhausted from the effort to fight it all away she settled onto her side of the bed. She wasn't sure she deserved a side of the bed; she certainly hadn't managed to do anything to earn it, or his love, at all. But she was too broken and tired to care now. It didn't matter anymore.

When he woke up she'd have to tell him that she'd tried all she could and there was nothing else to try. She'd have to face that disappointment too, and then she'd leave. There wasn't anything else to do and she certainly wasn't going to remain and be the terrible reminder of the life that she'd stolen from him.

She didn't think she'd sleep, she didn't care. But finally the enervation overtook her and she succumbed to slumber, though it was far from blissful.

**Hurry up and review so I can post the next chapter will ya, I hate cliff hangers just as much as you do. I haven't actually decided what to do about the predicament yet so input would be much appreciated. Theoretically more will be posted by Tuesday evening or Wednesday at the latest. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Clean Underclothes

**Ever After**

**Clean Underclothes**

**It's seems I've held us all in suspense long enough. Thank you all so much for the awesome feedback for the last chapter, and the story in general! Without much further ado…**

Fiyero awoke to the familiar feeling of straw. It was everywhere, as a Scarecrow he'd been forced to become accustomed to the pokey, itchy feel of it. Even more so he'd had to adapt to the idea that beneath the clothes that held him together there was nothing but scratchy straw.

He tried to ignore the awful twiggy feel of it; he was well versed in doing that. But it was worse that morning and so he began to shift, turning over, gently so he wouldn't wake Elphaba, but when he finally managed to flip himself all thoughts of his innards left him at the sight of his sleeping fiancée. She wasn't right next to him. She was curled in a fetal position as far away from him on the enormous bed as she possibly could be and had no blankets on. She looked distraught and cold, even in sleep.

"Good heavens sweetheart," He muttered. "You're gonna catch your death."

He slid off the bed and made his way around the other side, pulling the comforter up to Elphaba's chin as he went. When he was finished he simply watched her for a moment, studying her face and wondering what was troubling her so. He decided that maybe it was simply the cold and so he kissed her cheek and let her sleep, resolving to brave stoking the fire and then go see if he couldn't stuff himself into a different outfit, maybe that would reduce his intensely prickly state.

Once inside the bathroom he tugged a new pair of pants from the closet, he'd need Elphaba's help if he wanted a new shirt, and sat down on the floor. Once he was safely sitting down he tugged off one of the long socks holding his leg in and let the straw spill away. He realized then that he'd forgotten to grab a new pair of socks.

_Drat_, he thought. It'd take some fancy footwork, so to speak, if he were going to do this with out restuffing the old sock just to get a new one. He braced himself against the wall and hauled his body upward, putting all his weight on his good leg. More straw fell from the trouser leg that wasn't capped off and the scratchy feeling only got worse, it was almost like the pins and needles sensation he used to get when his foot would fall asleep. Multiplied by a lot!

He tried to shake some of the straw out and it worked but even as the straw fell away the leg felt more and more solid. Maybe some of the straw from his torso was funneling into the emptying trousers. He looked downward, but instead of falling straw and empty air he found that he had a foot. And a knee!

"What in Oz?" He exclaimed rather excitedly to no one in particular. His eyes widened as he discovered the foot, leg and knee were, in fact, attached to him. He lifted his knew found appendage off the floor and shook it. More straw fell away but the body part remained.

In a rush the opposite sock came off and the pant leg was shaken out. After the brownish-gold twigs had fallen away another foot appeared, quickly followed by a leg and then a knee, and higher than that except the pants covered it.

Next came the gloves, first the left and as soon as a familiar hand appeared the right one followed. He tugged at his shirt until it came off and his stuffing with it, revealing a (rather handsome) torso and all that was left of the Scarecrow was the mask.

With a deep breath (which felt all the more wonderful because he had lungs again) he pulled the string, which held the mask to his neck, and it came loose. His fingers grasped the rough material and drew it away; he held onto it still though his hand rested comfortably, near his waist as he straightened his arm out.

It was then that the most peculiar part of the whole transformation took place. In the mirror Fiyero could see his human body but it was still headless and he saw through the Scarecrows eyes from the mask in his hand. As the last of the straw fell from the mask he blinked, and after that brief, split-second he opened _his_ own eyes from _his_ face staring back from the proper place in his reflection.

Fiyero looked at the mask in his hand, now it was nothing more than an old burlap sack with a patchwork nose, a painted mouth and buttonholes for eyes. He looked back to his reflection in the mirror, this time very closely.

His eyes were the same as he remembered, blue with a mischievous glint. His nose was the same too, perfect and distinguished despite being slightly crooked from when he'd broken his nose after a nasty horse-back riding accident when he was twelve. His lips were the same, so was his dark-blonde hair, though it was slightly longer than it had been.

On his now-shirtless chest were the blue diamond tattoos that signified he was not only an adult, but a royal one at that. The pattern swept around his left bicep and over the back of his shoulder to the front, continuing down until it disappeared into the waist of his pants. The markings went down to his left knee and had he followed strict Arjiki tradition would have gone up his neck and cheek to his hairline. His father had been the first to bend the rules a bit and have the tattoo include some of an arm instead of the face. Fiyero had happily followed suit. He'd never been too impressed with the facial tattoos, he'd thought as a young boy that they ended up looking like bruises and the idea had never really left him.

He looked down, still a bit dazed from the whole experience, to the hodgepodge of straw and cloth beneath him. After another moment of staring at what had previously constituted his body he practically ran from the bathroom to show Elphaba. He stopped short as he saw once again her curled up form and almost decided to wait until she woke up herself to share the happy news. But he recovered his wits enough to realize she'd probably turn him back into a Scarecrow for doing that and gently planted a kiss on her cheek and whispered her name.

It took what seemed like forever but finally her green-gray eyes opened and, though sleep still clouded her vision, she looked up at him, squinting against the light.

"Elphaba, sweetheart wake-up you have to see this," He urged impatiently.

Elphaba, for her part, blinked a few times, trying to clear the blurriness from her mind. She'd been up all night after all, and hadn't slept well once she'd gotten to sleep.

"Fiyero… what?" She said, feeling slightly cranky and more so once she remembered the events that had taken place the night before.

"Look, look at this. The spell must have worn off or something!"

He practically danced before her, his shock finally gone and jubilation was replacing it. Everything would work out now that he was human again.

Elphaba sat up in awe and wonder. She couldn't believe it the spell had worked. It had actually worked! She scrambled out of the covers and danced with him. They both laughed, as she looked him over from head to toe.

"The spell must have worn off or something."

She heard Fiyero say it but didn't respond. She'd let him believe that, she wasn't going to lie but she'd decided against telling him of her little trip to the City. Some things were better left unexplained.

"Look at you," she whispered happily, reaching up to stroke his delightfully fleshy cheek and then to run her hand through his shaggy hair. All her doubts from the night before seemed to melt away.

Fiyero's hand came up to press against her own and he watched her as her eyes traced his features. The features that in just a moment she'd memorized but they'd faded just a little since she'd seen them last. It was positively glorious to see _him_ again and she caught herself trying to memorize every single detail once more.

"I like the tattoo," she said with a smile. She hadn't seen the diamonds before, and she moved her hand away from his face to tentatively trace the design from his arm to his shoulder. She stopped there, not quite daring to trace them any further, not just yet.

He chuckled, every bit as nervous as she.

"Thanks," he managed to reply. And then he tried to explain. "We all get them eventually. You will too I suppose. If you want to I mean, once we're married. Or eventually or … whatever."

"I like them," she repeated, and that was all she would say on the subject.

Her gentle fingers fell from his shoulder and, as if by their own accord, laced between his own and Elphaba reveled in the feeling of it, of holding hands with a hand instead of rather pliable cloth. Moreover she reveled in holding hands with him. They were both alive, he was human and he loved her and she loved him, despite any tiny feelings of unworthiness she might have felt she loved him.

"You're beautiful, looking at things from everyway." She suddenly said, rather definitively, and it brought a little more mirth to both their faces.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," he replied in a low voice. "I'm not half as beautiful as you are."

His arm snaked around her waist and he brought her closer. Her own arm trailed up his and she let it, forgetting everything but his eyes. His eyes that were full of something she didn't quite have a name for, no words seemed good enough, but she knew her whole soul was teeming with the same thing and that it was wonderful. More wonderful than anything, she was so happy she felt like she could really melt; melt right into him.

Slowly but surely his head lowered to hers. Their foreheads met, then their noses and then finally their lips. Fireworks and violins weren't needed then. The kiss was enough.

"Fiyero we have to tell your mom and dad," Elphaba said when they came up for air. Her sensible side was kicking in, in spite of herself and the flitterbys going wild in her stomach once more.

"Aw come on you've met 'em and I showed you the library," he protested, but only half-heartedly.

"That's right," she rejoined, settling back into more familiar territory: banter. "And somehow I've managed to get into their good graces, I'd like to keep it that way."

"Excuses, excuses," he teased in return.

She turned to head for the bathroom to change, but his hand caught hers before she got away completely.

"Wait," he said, feeling just a little nervous again, though he'd already gotten through the hard part, if it could be called that.

Every part of her seemed to question him but she didn't resist when he pulled her a little closer once more.

"I guess now is as good a time to do this as any, though I've been meaning to give this to you all week," he said with a quirky smile. He fished in his pocket (it seemed there was a benefit to wearing the same pants for days at a time) and produced something, though it was nestled in his fist so she couldn't see what it was.

He then brought her left hand up so he could slide his gift onto her ring finger. Elphaba marveled at the ring, it was silver with diamonds running along the band, along the diamonds on either side were tiny emeralds. And it was one of the prettiest pieces of jewelry she'd ever seen, if not the prettiest.

"You didn't have to," she whispered, though she was thrilled. "I mean you didn't…I love it."

"I thought you might," he said with a knowing smirk. "It was my grandmother's once upon a time ago. For some reason she left it to me, I didn't think I'd ever have the occasion to want to give it to someone when who should come along but you and I can't think of a more perfect owner."

Tears threatened at Elphaba's eyes and she tried to blink them away, cursing herself for being such a blubber-buddy but feeling like the circumstances warranted it just a little bit. She'd never been so emotional in her whole life, than she'd been in the week and a little bit since leaving Oz. Fortunately Fiyero understood and he let the tears come, though he kissed them away as they made their way down her cheeks and over her lips.

"Now I suppose if you're going to insist that we inform my parents to certain things you ought to go get dressed," he said in all seriousness. But when she pulled away she could tell he was teasing her again.

"Oh and what about you," she shot back, already making her way towards the bathroom.

"What I don't look dashing and splendid already?"

Secretly she thought so but she wasn't about to tell him that. A memory from long ago danced into Elphaba's mind and she shot back over her shoulder, "Clean underclothes, that's all I'm gonna say."

With that she disappeared into the closet, leaving her fiancé feeling that he had just been the brunt of a joke and had no idea what it was.

**Okay, I apologize for this being late and short, but I'm sick, gimme a break. I hope you liked and hooray that Fiyero's human again (like I'd have it any other way). Coming up: Weddings and meetings and floods Oh My! Actually the plot is going to start taking off more now so drop me a line so I know how I'm doin'.**


	6. And so it Begins

**Ever After**

**And so it Begins**

**All right folks, the plot I promised keeps evolving so it isn't here just yet. But I kind of thought (and got hints from some of you) that a few more bits of fluffiness needed to be added anyways, so light-and-airy and marginally-important you shall have.**

Sunlight poured through the puzzle-like glass doors of Glinda the Good's master chamber. It was nearly 7:00 am and therefore almost time for the ruler of Oz to wake up. Normally she'd already be coming out of the bliss of sleep but she'd been up later than usual entertaining the lingering Sir Chuffrey, so she was still dozing quite deeply and still snoring just a bit, daintily as ever.

The alarm-clock was merciless though, and the schedule of a leader even more so and within a minute bells sounded at the sleeping beauty's bed stand. With a faint groan Glinda roused and slapped at the offending noise-maker. The bells stopped at last and she let her head fall face first back into her blessedly soft pillow.

When the bells started again the process was repeated. But as her left hand made its way back beneath the warm covers it knocked something to the floor. Glinda's curiosity was piqued and she snapped to alertness. She never put anything but the alarm on the bed stand for the very reason that it would inevitably get cast to the floor.

She opened a bleary eye to peek over the edge of the bed to see what mysterious object had fallen. It was a necklace, a pretty little thing and one which she had no prior memory of owning. She reached an arm down to rescue the trinket. She found that there was a bit of parchment rolled around the silver chain and, frowning just a bit, tugged the yellow-ish paper free.

_I've been changed for good_

"Elphaba." The word, the name, fell from Glinda's perfect lips before she'd even been able o properly process the message.

It was impossible. Elphaba was dead, even the Clock of the Time Dragon agreed. But Elphaba was the only one who could know the message carried by those five words. Aside from that, even if she had lived the mobs scouring Kiamo Ko for any sign that she'd survived.

Glinda couldn't rationally believe Elphaba was alive. She'd never been much of a dreamer or a hoper; she'd left that to her green friend. But there was a tiny, un-rational part of her where a small sprout of hope began to bloom. Somewhere in the back of her brain and the bottom of her heart she wanted very badly to believe Elphaba wouldn't have left her high and dry. She could forgive her for being gone if only she were alive enough to care for forgiveness.

Glinda admired the charm and the beads on the simple piece of jewelry. She found that they weren't incredibly dissimilar to the beads that had adorned Nessarose's magnificent pumps and briefly wondered at the connection. Focusing back on the actual necklace in her hand she decided that it certainly wasn't the most extravagant accessory she possessed it was significant at least, and the green décor was somehow striking in spite of its simplicity. Or maybe because of it.

As she showered that morning she convinced herself not to get her hopes up. Hoping for the impossible only left room for pain and she couldn't take anymore. However, despite her self-imposed doubt she wore the necklace, and the coin-sized charm rested directly above her heart, protecting the little glimmer of hope residing there.

"Ma'am?"

Glinda turned from her vanity to find Aliira standing at the door.

"Sorry to bother you ma'am, but there's a Tinman here to see you before your first appointment."

"A Tinman?" Glinda questioned. She'd only ever known one Tinman and she couldn't imagine why he'd want to see her.

"Yes ma'am," Aliira answered. "_The _Tinman, he was rather insistent, said you were his only hope."

"I doubt it," Glinda thought darkly. The Tinman had led the mob of witch hunters and had returned with Dorothy for the glory. He definitely wasn't high on her favorite people list. However he was a citizen and she'd promised to good for all Ozians if they'd let her try.

"All right, have him wait in my office I'll be there shortly. And send up breakfast in an hour will you?"

"Yes and Prime Minister Klondika will be here at nine and then the Ambassador from the Vinkus would like to meet you over lunch, a sort of preliminary for the trade negotiations." Her aide reminded her.

"Thank you, have the cook prepare something appropriate for lunch then. I believe High Kells Salmon and Hasselwaithe soup would be familiar to the Ambassador at least, if not a favorite."

"Yes ma'am." The young woman said, and with a smile and a dip of her head she left to do her job.

Glinda quickly put the finishing touches on her make-up while wondering what in Oz the Tinman wanted. She supposed she wouldn't know until she spoke with him, so upon deciding that her curls and tiara were as perfect as they were going to get (ridiculously so) she made her way straight from her chambers to her office across the palace.

"Master Woodsman, thank you for waiting," Glinda said as she strode into the room to find him heaped into a chair. He tried to stand but his clumsy parts made it difficult so she waved the protocol off and sat down in her own chair behind the desk.

"Thank you for allowing me an audience," he replied formally. He sounded incredibly familiar to her and terribly uncomfortable.

"Well it is my job," she reminded him, thinking privately that he looked like he was preparing to propose. She wished he'd hurry to the point. Prime Minister Klondika was not an easy man to deal with and she'd hoped for a little extra time to prepare.

"Yes, yes of course it is. Uh -- I'll get to the point then. Mi-Miss Glinda… er that is to say Lady Glinda well I…

He stuttered through his request, but he'd lost his audience when he'd addressed her, for she'd finally discovered why he seemed so familiar. With a start she realized the being sitting before her was Boq, or had been at least. She hadn't seen him since their graduation, he'd gone to Munchkin Land with Nessa and she hadn't thought of him since. After her memories of the tall, Munchkin boy finished giving her what information they could she realized to that the Tinman was no longer a cruel face, he was a cruel face with a name and a history and he'd once been someone whom Glinda had believed was incapable of cruelness, because he had such an annoying capacity for love.

"Boq?" She finally questioned, when her suspicions jumped to her throat for confirmation.

"Oh you do remember," he brightened a bit. "So you see I haven't always been this way and I believe you can change me back if you will?"

Glinda, who'd been impatient to begin with, had now grasped something to focus on though, and it wasn't re-humanizing spells. Her brain somehow couldn't get past the information that Boq – whom she'd once considered a cute nice boy, even if his love for her was obnoxiously prevalent and he'd always seemed more like a childish little brother than anything- had been a key figure in killing Elphaba. Elphaba who had once befriended him and who'd even helped him pass science their second term at Shiz. He'd betrayed her, even more so than Glinda herself once had.

"I don't understand," she said, because it was easier than truly believing that he could really be the Boq she remembered.

"Which part?" He replied, oblivious to her hurt and anger and disbelief.

"All of it! Starting with how you came to be a heartless metal-man."

"Oh that, that was Elphaba's doing," he began bitterly. " See she turned me to took my heart and turned me to tin, her and that sister of hers, I never did know why but I –

"You're tin you don't need a heart!" Glinda interrupted him.

"I need to love though!"

"Yeah well the Wizard had you there," _for once_, she added mentally. "You don't need a heart to love, you just do it. But apparently you've forgotten the Boq who knew that once. And nobody could have taken him away but yourself."

"That's not the point," he insisted, convinced that if she saw things his way she'd turn him back and he could finally make her love him.

"No, you're right it's not. The point is I can't turn you back, Elphaba was the only one who could use magic well enough to have a chance and spells aren't reversible besides that."

His face fell.

"So you're saying I successfully killed my only hope of being human again," he concluded, realizing, apparently for the first time exactly what kind of mess he and his bitterness had gotten him.

She nodded, there was nothing else to do. She didn't have the power to help him and was disinclined to now anyways. She'd thought she was finally coming out of the hole she'd dug for herself and those around her when she hadn't followed Elphaba off into the western sky years ago when she'd had the chance. Now she saw the additive hell her example had created.

"So that's it, there's nothing you can do. You're supposed to be her polar opposite, supposed to counter the evil she's done!"

Once again Glinda was tempted to clear Elphaba of the guilt and place it on the responsible parties (who was the responsible party?) shoulders.

"Boq if you ever knew Elphaba or me at all you know that's not true. She only ever did good, including to you. – Or had you forgotten the A's you managed to pull off when she tutored you- And I, I never was all that brilliant at sorcery. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I can't help you and I'm sorry we didn't stop this before it went this far, but there's nothing to be done anymore."

"Is that a dismissal?"

Glinda's ruler façade dropped for just a second.

"Yeah, yes it is. Goodbye Boq."

For a man who claimed to not be capable of emotion any longer, he certainly looked distraught. Slowly he rose and clattered towards the exit.

"I still love you." He said at the door, looking back as much as his stiff neck would allow.

"I know." She was sorry for that as well, sorry because she could never return it, he just wasn't the one for her.

Glinda sat still and straight until the door snicked shut and he was gone, then schlumped into her chair feeling incredibly disheartened. She'd become a person she loathed in the last three years, it seemed Boq had suffered a similar fate. She'd once believed there was still some good in the world, she was trying for it herself, but at the moment it looked like a losing battle.

The Prime Minister would arrive five minutes, and all she wanted to do was call it quits for the day already and head out for some serious retail therapy. If it was college she would have. But duty called and she found herself answering, she owed her people that much, to keep trying to find the good.

So she set her face back into her mask of professionalism, bubbles and giggles wouldn't impress the sexist Prime Minister. And she had to convince him to let her present her reforms to the Council (cronies of the Wizard, and robots all of them) if she was ever going to start making a difference. Just as she'd collected her papers and re-straightened her gown and tiara the door swung open.

Glinda took a deep breath and drew herself up to her full height (such as it were) and with a regal-ness she remembered her grandmother (who'd been a Duchess under the last Ozma) possessing, stared her adversary down.

"Welcome Prime Minister…

* * *

When Fiyero and Elphaba finally found his parents it was in a room that was meant for business meetings, both were dressed in dark finery reserved for when they headed the council together. They must have just finished the trade treaty for the Ambassadors to take to Glinda (who to both young adults' surprise and dismay had apparently succeeded the Wizard shortly after they'd fled Oz. It had been a great moment finding _that_ out, Elphaba had let out a whoop that was categorized as a cross of glee and disbelief) but to the point, the King and Queen were wrapping up loose ends and neither looked up when the two "kids" entered. 

Fiyero, who knew both of his parents had a tendency to get lost in their work, strode up to the table and loomed directly over his mother. He simply stared down until Gwyn noticed the light wasn't what it had been and looked up to find the source of the problem.

Her pen clattered to the ground and her mouth fell open, displaying one of the few moments when she lost control over her emotions and let them slide into disarray. Tears glistened across her eyes for one or two seconds and she gasped.

"My son!" she cried, leaning over the table to take his new and familiar form into her arms. It was as if he'd returned home for the first time and in a way it was, he and Elphaba had been holed up in the library since breakfast that first day, so she'd had little chance to get used to the changes and now she wouldn't have to.

Tiernan got up as well, though he was more subdued. He wore a smug smile, as if he'd been expecting this all along, and waited his turn before clapping his son on the back.

"I knew you'd do it," he told Elphaba. "In fact I'd say he looks better than before, he certainly seems to behave better."

He was joking of course, but Elphaba blushed anyway.

"Oh I don't –

"No he's right," Gwyn agreed, then laughing she continued, "He does look better!"

"Gee thanks Mom," Fiyero drawled.

"I suppose this means we get to start planning a wedding?" She asked hopefully, a giddy maternal feeling rose up in her.

"Yes." Fiyero and Elphaba said in unison without a glance.

"Good lord, how much will it cost me?" Tiernan muttered.

"You're a king you can afford it," Gwyn assured him.

"Yes, I suppose the question is simply how big a hole it will put in the treasury."

"I promise we won't clear out more than ninety-nine percent of it," his wife replied once more, plans already dancing in her head.

Elphaba and Fiyero were just glad that his parents were agreeing to all of it.

"Oh then by all means, spare no expense," the older man finished, not really concerned about any of it, but he was having a good time bantering over the whole thing.

"Let the nuptials begin."

**Alright there ya go, a quick fluffy filler that will lead into the next chapters well I think. I'd love to hear what ya thought, too much fluff? Stay with some of the fluff? Is there any hope at all? Reviews people please…**


	7. My Big Fat Winkie Wedding

**Ever After**

**My Big Fat Winkie Wedding**

Dresses were everywhere. The shops Glinda had dragged her through had nothing on this place, Byrk and Dorf's was it? Store names aside the place was amazing, and that was the opinion of one who had no previous appreciation for fancy clothes.

Elphaba wandered through the aisles, stopping to examine some of the items if they caught her eye, but she hadn't even gotten back into the bridal section yet. Gwyn had insisted on saving dress shopping for last, she'd also insisted on personally accompanying her to the store.

Not that her future mother-in-law hadn't already been a huge help in planning the wedding. No, Gwyn had known exactly who to summon for Elphaba to talk with, from caterers to decorators everything was now taken care of and all Elphaba had had to do was talk with the various professionals about what she wanted and approve a guest list.

Now the Queen was following Elphaba through the store, watching with an approving gaze and a clandestine smile tracing her lips. She carried Kenna along without saying a thing. Though Elphaba had initially tried to persuade Gwyn that she could pick out a dress by herself (not because she didn't want the woman's company she just realized she was busy) she was glad to have her there. It was her first time into the city in broad daylight, and it was made infinitely easier to have someone backing her up. If she had have been paying attention she would have realized Gwyn was enjoying herself, and her time away from queenly duties, as well.

As they finally entered the bridal section Elphaba passed by the more heavily decorated dresses fairly quickly. (Just because she appreciated the beauty of the tailors' work didn't mean her fashion sense had beenwell… 'glindafied' entirely.) But she slowed down as the dresses became simpler, and, in her opinion, more elegant.

She stopped at one in particular, a magnificently unembellished, white work of art. The actual dress was floor-length, strapless with an empire waist, but the neckline wasn't cut embarrassingly low and was lined with tiny pearl beads. In the back the material had been gathered up and arranged to form a train.

"An excellent choice for yourself my dear, if you don't mind my saying so," came a voice, that didn't belong to Gwyn, from behind her.

Elphaba turned to find that Master Dorf, one of the master tailors and owners of the shop had come up to stand near her future mother-in-law. Gwyn nodded and smiled at her in agreement with the tailor.

"It's beautiful darling," she said simply, shifting the sleeping Kenna to her opposite shoulder.

"Would you like to try it on?" Master Dorf asked.

Elphaba nodded, having fallen in love with the dress already. So Dorf released the gown from it's display hangers and carefully carried it back to the dressing room. Once inside he handed it to the female dressing assistant and left so Elphaba could change in privacy. On his way out Gwyn asked if he'd mind hanging onto Kenna so she could help Elphaba as well. He took the baby outside, thrilled to care for the little princess for just a few minutes.

With the assistant, whose name was Mira, and Gwyn's help Elphaba was able to slip the dress on without mishap and then stand before the mirror to see what she thought. It was just a little loose on her slender frame but otherwise fit perfectly, barely brushing the floor and trailing elegantly behind her as she walked and turned.

"Exquisite," Mira commented shortly but sincerely.

"I'm inclined to agree," Gwyn said with another smile. "I'm afraid it looks much better now than it did on the display."

Elphaba, who'd never spent much time imagining her wedding dress as a little girl, thought that if she had this is what it would have looked like.

"Well come on out, share the joy," called Dorf from beyond the curtained doorway.

They made their way out to the store proper where he and Kenna were waiting.

"Well turn around then," Dorf said impatiently.

Elphaba complied, carefully spinning. She felt a little giddy now, all gussied up and for some reason at that moment it finally sank in that she was marrying the love of her life in a week. She hadn't realized that it hadn't hit her fully until it did, and suddenly she couldn't keep the smile off of her face.

"Well you look _divine_," Dorf gushed. He was confident in his work of course, but it was when customers like this came in and found the _perfect_ thing that made him truly happy. "I'd say it was made for you but I had no idea when I designed it that someone so beautiful would complete the masterpiece."

Elphaba blushed, and though she felt he was stretching the truth it was nice to receive a compliment from someone who wasn't a member of her future family or best friend.

"It is a little large, but that's nothing I can't fix in a clock tick of course. Yes I would say you've found the gown. You're lucky you know, most people have to try on loads of misses to get something close to a hit," he was saying as he handed Kenna back to her mother. The next think Elphaba knew he was tugging gently at the material around her waist and pinning it just so.

"There I believe that'll do it," he said when he was finished. "If you'd kindly take it off I'll make the alterations and have it to you by tomorrow."

"So soon?" Elphaba asked, impressed in spite of herself. Normally when her clothes needed alterations it took a few days at least.

"Well, I can't say that royalty doesn't get a little special treatment on occasion," Dorf replied with a wink towards Gwyn. "Now, I think you'll want a veil, I have just the one…

He trailed off as he made his way into a back room. A few minutes later he came out with a flowy item and started to arrange it on Elphaba's head.

"There," he said a second later. "That's about right, your hair will be different of course but I know a dresser who puts these things together _marvelously_. But you have the final say of course."

Elphaba turned to the mirror and decided Dorf really knew what he was doing. The veil was even simpler than the dress, it was really just an elaborately cut sheet of gauze that attached to her hair with three sparkling barrettes.

She forgot to say something but the look on her face said it all so Gwyn answered:

"We'll take it."

"Fabulous! I'll personally see it to the palace tomorrow afternoon," Dorf said.

"Excellent," Gwyn replied. "And you'll be attending the wedding?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for all of Oz."

Mira and Elphaba went back into the dressing room to get the gown off and Elphaba emerged and left with Gwyn, happy and excited all over again for the whole affair. Both women had broad smiles on their faces as they climbed into their waiting carriage and the smiles stayed all the way back to Iisen Lier.

* * *

The week flew by in a flash. The wedding dress, as well as Gwyn, Tierney and even little Kenna's dresses arrived the next day accompanied by both Masters' Byrk and Dorf for a final fitting. It seemed as if an instant later the day of the wedding had arrived. 

Elphaba had seen the decorated courtyard the night before during the rehearsal dinner and it had been splendid then so she was sure it would be absolutely exquisite when she arrived. Fiyero was off with his father and brothers in another part of the castle getting ready.

Since Fiyero had lain claim to his bedroom the library had become her dressing room. One of the study tables had been turned into a vanity and the dresser had come into help her with her dress, make-up and hair already. She was all but ready; all she had to do was slip on her white heels and make her way down to the courtyard once the page came in to get her. So she had a few minutes to reflect.

She stayed away from the window, not wanting to spoil the experience of her entrance, or see anyone and get more nervous than she already was. However that meant occupying herself within the room and she'd automatically let her attention to the crystal ball, which had found a home amongst the other magical items in the tower.

She'd been debating to herself whether or not to wave a hand over it and just see what Glinda was up to since the dresser had left. She'd found herself missing her friend more than ever on this happiest of days.

Gwyn had asked her just last night if she wanted to change her mind and get a maid of honor, there was just enough time to pull the strings. Elphaba had forged friendships with a few of the women residing in the castle and she'd entertained the idea of asking one of them to fill the position. But had finally decided that no, it was supposed to be filled by her best friend and if that was impossible the position would just have to be honorary. So the few friends would be regular bridesmaids, Gwyn would be Matron of Honor Tierney and Kenna would be flower girls and the program would have Glinda Upland listed as the Honorary Maid of Honor.

When music from the band in the courtyard below began floating up to the tower Elphaba knew she was running out of time. At once that elated her and made her all the more nervous and finally she crossed the room to the crystal ball and waved a hand over it, whispering her best friend's name fiercely.

An image appeared seconds later, sound was absent as it sometimes was depending on whether the orb was being benevolent or not. She saw Glinda, in one of the simplest gowns she'd ever seen the blonde wear, it was lavender, Elphaba noted, the same as the bridesmaids gowns and that made her feel a little better. The young woman looked different somehow than when she'd last seen her, and it wasn't that her hair was pulled up into a bun or she was without a huge gown, she couldn't put her finger on it. From what she could see Glinda was just walking, somewhere in the Emerald City. Then it was if a magical button had been pressed and the image got wider to reveal Glinda was not alone but walking with some gentleman Elphaba had never seen before. Some very handsome gentleman Elphaba had never seen before. She watched as her best friend smiled and the man took her hand as they walked.

At least she was happy, knowing that made Elphaba happy.

"That's quite a smile for a lady who's gonna be late for her own wedding," a voice behind her said.

Elphaba gasped and turned to find a very blindfolded Fiyero standing just inside the doorway.

"You're not supposed to see me before the ceremony, its bad luck," she told him.

"Hence the blindfold, "Fiyero said smartly. "Besides you I thought you didn't ascribe to that hocus pocus anyway."

"I don't, not really but it's fun to pretend every once in a while."

Fiyero took off the blindfold and walked up to her. She took his hand in her own and pulled him down next to her.

"Well Glinda doesn't look to worse for wear does she?" Fiyero commented wryly.

Elphaba gave a wan smile in return, she was happy for her friend she was, but she couldn't help wishing Glinda was there with her instead of strolling about the city.

"You still miss her."

"Of course, she's still my best friend," Elphaba replied as if this should have been obvious.

"She'd want you to be happy, she wouldn't want you to dwell on a past or future that will never be," Fiyero said, trying to lighten her spirits and be reassuring all at once. Wasn't today supposed to be a happy day, they were getting married after all.

"I know," Elphaba said, letting him work his charms on her. "I am happy, and I believe my future is supposed to be waiting at the alter right about now."

"You're absolutely right," Fiyero said, realizing that he was indeed supposed to be ready at the altar at that point. "Give me a head start though will ya?"

Elphaba nodded and he dashed off, but not before doubling back to give her one last kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Now get going!" She said with a laugh and watched his retreating form head down the hall. After a few more seconds she felt she'd given him plenty of head start and rushed to catch up.

Fiyero stood nervously next to the priestess, who would be marrying him in a matter of minutes, with his father at his side. He shifted from foot to foot anxiously awaiting the second his bride would appear at the end of the aisle. Hundreds of people were seated throughout the courtyard; family friends and subjects had come to witness the 'glorious event'. All of them were smiling and patiently waiting for the ceremony to commence. Behind the rows of people he could see the heads of his little sisters and mother and of his brothers, waiting to head down the aisle before Elphaba and he searched over the heads of the crowd in back for one clothed in white.

He hadn't found it but in a heartbeat the music altered slightly and he saw his brothers make their way to the center walkway. All three strode toward him with smiles, Jeron and Kylan walked down first, side-by-side, followed by Ronan, who'd been appointed ring bearer. Tierney came next dressed in lavender and was tossing white petals to the ground. Finally his mother walked down as well, dressed similarly to her daughter and as regal as ever.

Once Gwyn had taken her place next to Tiernan the music changed drastically and the entire crowd stood up to face the aisle. But Fiyero only had eyes for the vision in white at the end. He honestly hadn't even registered her attire when he'd gone to check on her only minutes before, but he felt his heart melt and his knees go weak just at the sight of her.

He remembered to breath as Elphaba walked –far too slowly- toward him. Finally she reached the steps of the altar and he reached out a hand as she came up. He wanted to say something as she stood next to him but found he couldn't articulate the words, so he just returned her mega-watt smile and turned with her to face the priestess.

"Marriage!" The aging woman began clearly though with the Vinkun accent Elphaba had come to adore. "Marriage is what brings us together today. And love, true love is what allows us to gather to witness the matrimony of our Prince to his chosen Princess."

Elphaba snuck a glance toward the man at her side, only to find he was staring at her too.

If it was possible both their smiles only grew, and he tightened his grip on her hand just a bit.

"Lurline is blessing us all today with this glorious union of Fiyero and Elphaba, so I believe we shan't put her off any longer," the priestess continued. "So if you'll repeat after me Your Highness."

"I, Fiyero Dante Tiggular…

"I, Fiyero Dante Tiggular…" Fiyero repeated, each word was weighed, each promise not lightly made. He followed the priestess in the vows, glad for the guidance otherwise he might have skipped right to the kiss at the end.

When he'd finished Elphaba repeated her own vows and Ronan approached with the rings.

Fiyero and Elphaba both picked up the other's ring and held them until the priestess instructed them otherwise. Once each had placed the other's ring on the appropriate finger the old woman continued.

"Does anyone present have any objection to the marriage of these two before you?" The priestess paused and scanned the crowd. Elphaba waited for somebody to object on the basis of her skin color or the fact that she was Vinkun herself, but none came. So the priestess continued, " Then by the powers, vested in me by the country and by Lurline I now pronounce you Man and Wife. Prince Fiyero you may kiss the bride."

Fiyero nearly whooped with joy but his mouth had more pressing things to attend to so he gently lifted the veil from his new wife's face, and all too slowly pressed his lips to hers to seal the deal. After a split second eternity he felt his father tap his shoulder and whisper: "There'll be plenty of time for that after the reception." And he and Elphaba finally parted into smiles and turned to the cheering onlookers.

"Ladies and gentleman of the crowd I'd like to present to you the Crown Prince and Princess of the Vinkus!" Tiernan announced loudly, then on a quieter side note to his son and daughter-in-law, "Go get 'em kids."

Elphaba locked her arm through Fiyero's and the two stepped down from the altar. They made their way, proudly and joyously back down the aisle while the crowd tossed flowers and blew bubbles in their direction.

While the guests received instructions as to where to congregate for the reception, the two newly-weds were herded about by a photographer entrusted to record the day's events.

* * *

Hours later, hundreds of guests had had the opportunity to greet and congratulate the happy couple. Fiyero and Elphaba had been able to snag several turns around the dance floor and everyone had eaten their fill from the feast and finally everyone was sent home. 

Night had fallen by the time Elphaba and Fiyero had gotten ready to leave for their honeymoon. They'd both changed from their wedding attire, though his family hadn't just yet. According to Fiyero, who'd been in charge of planning the whole trip, all they had to do now was get there.

So the family had gathered near the stables to say their goodbyes and wish them well.

"You be careful and have fun you hear?" Gwyn said sternly as her son hugged all his siblings and then let his new wife have a turn.

"Of course Mama," Fiyero laughed, giving her a hug and a kiss as well.

"And congratulations to the both of you," Tiernan added, putting an arm around his own wife when she'd let her son go.

"Well I guess this is it then. You guys have fun while we're gone and we'll be back before any of us know it."

"Yeah, and then you can tell us what in Oz we're gonna do with all your presents," Jeron quipped.

"All right then, you'd better get going if you want any daylight left to enjoy," Tiernan prodded things along, knowing the two were anxious to go themselves.

A single horse was waiting to take them to their destination, with an oversize saddle they could both ride on.

"Speaking of which, where _are_ we going?" Elphaba asked. She 'hmmphed' as Fiyero surprised her by swinging her up onto the horse.

"You my dear will see when we get there," he replied. "So long folks."

With that he bound up behind her. With a gleeful "Hyah!" the horse went racing down the lantern lit path towards the gates. Elphaba held on for dear life as they galloped through the city and into the city, crossing town to enter the forest, somewhere, she guessed, near where they had come into Loryntium in the first place. But none of the surroundings were familiar, not that trees were all that distinguishable at this speed anyway.

"Where are we going?" She asked again when they'd slowed down enough that she could think straight.

"You'll see," Fiyero insisted again.

"Whatever. How long until we get there then?"

"Oh not long," He said vaguely, leaning over her shoulder to place a kiss on her cheek.

"You're just trying to butter me up."

"Is it working?"

"Quite possibly."

"Good, because we have to make a teeny tiny hop to get there."

"A hop? Are we leaving the Vinkus?"

"Maybe."

"Are we leaving Oz?"

"Well we aren't technically a part of Oz anymore, so we're already out of Oz already aren't we?"

"Don't be smart."

"Yes we're leaving Oz. Trust me where we're going you've never been, and you could never guess where it is either so just be patient."

"You might have noticed I'm not very good at that."

"I might have," he quipped, just to rile her. She was just so cute when she was flabbergasted.

She whacked him.

"Well hurry up, it looks like it's gonna start raining."

"Afraid you'll melt or something?"

"No, melting is one of the better experiences I've had."

"Good then," he said, putting on his mysterious airs again. He'd banked on her discomfort with water being gone for this entire trip, he didn't want to find out she'd simply battle it for him.

As the first drops of rain fell he had to smile again as Elphaba leaned her head back and caught them on her tongue. It was clear they'd both be thoroughly soaked when they reached their destination, so she stopped worrying about it and enjoyed the ride and the feel of Fiyero's arms around her waist.

At last, when both were sopping wet, and getting rather cold they made their way into a portal, horse and all, and laughed together as they were slurped right into the warmth and paradise on the other side.

**Ladies and Gentleman chapter 7! I am so sorry it took me so long to get it up, real life was insane this last week and I honestly had no time to even _think_ of writing. So sorry, and thanks for being patient and reading. The next update should come a lot quicker so watch for it. Also I have to disclaim a couple of lines that were borrowed without permission from _The_ _Princess Bride, _so props to whomever wrote that (which I'm terribly ashamed to say I don't know who exactly that is). Anyway thanks for reading and puh-lease review.**


	8. Something Bad

**Ever After**

**Something Bad**

Darkness seeped from every crevice, from every crack in the stone floor and from every shadow cast on the eerie gargoyles that were strewn "decorously" about the room. Not the kind of darkness that come from the absence of light, though there was that too, but the kind that reeks of evil. Lightning flashed in the windows, brilliantly lighting the cavernous room for a split second and then letting the area dive back into the shadows, and the thunder that followed was helping the creepy crawly feeling of the place all too much.

Glinda should have been terrified. Scratch that she was terrified. But something kept her feet moving, compelling her forward into who-knows-what. The lightning flared again, striking longer and closer than ever before and Glinda caught sight of the person walking beside her. Dark robes swirled about her companion, nearly hiding the large tome held safely in the crook of one arm, and almost concealing the fabulously green hand cradling it.

"_Elphie," Glinda tried to ask, unsure of how her long dead friend was suddenly there._

_But Elphaba turned and shushed her silently by putting a finger to her lips. So Glinda tried to ask no more questions and simply followed the green girl further and further into the room. They passed through a dimly lit archway and into a corridor lit by a trail of red-hot coals settled into a trench in the wall. It wasn't much light at all, but it was enough for the two women to see where they were headed._

_After a few more minutes Glinda found more questions bubbling at her lips. She didn't see why she couldn't whisper one or two; the wind and thunder were making more than enough noise to cover the sound should anyone be listening for them. A glance from Elphaba kept her from opening her mouth, but didn't keep her from wondering what in Oz were they doing in this place? Glinda had decided it was a castle or some sort of fortress, before they'd even come into the hall. But it wasn't the Emerald Palace or Kiamo Ko or any other castle Glinda could remember setting foot in. _

_At the end of the corridor Elphaba stopped abruptly and Glinda nearly ran into her. She pulled the Grimmerie open, glancing over something or the other before shoving it into her satchel._

"_Ready?" The green girl asked. Glinda didn't get a chance to think about it, or ask what she was supposed to be ready for, but her head seemed to nod of its own accord and together they pushed and the heavy wooden doors they had stopped in front of._

_Light poured into the hallway as it escaped through the newly opened doors. But the light didn't make the other darkness go away, if anything it was worse. Time seemed to slow down for a split second eternity and Glinda got a good look around the room. Basins that held fire were set on stone columns, and more grotesque gargoyles were littered about the room. She saw someone on the throne and blinked, trying to get a better look and see who it was. _

_All at once time sped up and someone was taking her by the hand. It wasn't Elphaba, though within a second the green girl had a hold on her opposite arm. Elphaba was yelling at her and tugging at her but Glinda couldn't hear what she said or move towards her friend. Her eyes were glued to the face of a man. A man she didn't know but couldn't help feeling she should have. His features were so familiar yet she couldn't place them._

"_Glinda!" Elphaba's voice echoed unnaturally through her head. "Glinda!"_

"Glinda!"

Glinda snapped to awareness. Finally. Aliira breathed a sigh of relief.

"For a moment I thought you'd left us," the younger woman said in a rush.

"What's wrong?" Glinda demanded, not un-kindly. It was still dark in the room, the sun hadn't risen yet and Aliira hadn't turned on any lights.

"You've got to get up," Aliira replied as if she didn't know what else to say, but the urgency in her tone made Glinda swing out of her covers immediately.

Aliira led her over to the big glass doors that led to the balcony. And though Glinda was dressed in only her pajamas and had no footwear on she followed without worrying about such things for once.

She nearly gasped at what she'd saw. She'd known it had been raining but she hadn't realized all of Restwater was being dumped on the Emerald City.

From what she could see beyond the windows the rain was still coming down as heavy as a waterfall, the sheet of water was hitting the stone of the balcony in a continuous, roaring thud. The floor of the balcony was just one big puddle, the water splashed as more was added, but was inches high, it had been caught against the emerald granite molding and the glass, but there was too much to hold, so the water rushed over the top to the stories below.

The moisture muddled air made it hard to see twenty feet ahead, so she couldn't see the gardens below or the streets beyond, but she could imagine. With that much water coming from the sky and off the roof, and going off the balcony, the gardens, the streets, the square, the entire city had to be swimming.

"What do we do my lady?" Aliira asked, for the first time just a little fear cracked into her voice.

Glinda wanted to cry out "How should I know?" but the bellow of thunder that followed Aliira's words would have drown her out anyway, so she didn't. But she didn't know, she'd never for a second thought of the possibility of a flood. Oz was just out of a drought; didn't it make sense that the pendulum would swing to the opposite extreme? It was a little late to be thinking about it now though.

"Find me the captain of the guard first, wake up only who you must. I don't want to cause a panic before I know how much panic is needed." Glinda ordered, forcing herself to act like a leader. "Tell the captain I'll meet him at the front doors and I want any emergency plans involving floods immediately."

"Yes ma'am," Aliira said, and hurried to comply.

For her part Glinda ran to her closet and pulled out the first pair of pants she could find, a pair of tall boots and the nearest shirt. She didn't particularly care about how it looked, she didn't have time, but it ended up matching for which she'd later be grateful. After dressing faster than she ever had in her whole life, she fled her room, and down to the front hall.

She was a little surprised not to have passed many on the way down, and wondered who could sleep through the racket the weather was making. But then she remembered she'd been sleeping through it, and if Aliira hadn't woken her up she probably wouldn't have until her alarm went off at seven.

At the titanic front doors of the palace she stopped and hesitated, she'd intended to haul them open and get a good look at exactly how much water was outside but then wondered if that was the wisest move. She decided that there was no way that the water level had made it up the steps she hauled them open anyway, wondering where the guards were.

She was mostly right about the level, but her jaw dropped as she stepped passed the threshold. There was at least six feet of water pooled at the steps, and that estimate was quickly rising. She saw guards in green uniforms, assembling rafts in the front yard of the palace, and recognized the nightshift doormen helping.

"Oh my…" was all she could say.

"My Lady," the Captain of the Guard said, noticing the Good Witch at the top of the steps. He left the rafts to his men and ascended the few un-flooded steps to talk to her.

"How bad is it?" Glinda asked, some sense of logic kicking in, after the initial shock of water _everywhere_ wore off.

"Worse than it looks," Captain Stone admitted.

_Worse?_

"Flood procedures for the lake shore cities are in effect, which is good, Restwater has risen eight feet on all sides already. But the City doesn't have any flood procedures, and the sewage system can't handle the water, there's nowhere for it to go now but up," he indicated the good six feet of water surrounding the palace. "The whole county will be under fifteen feet of water by morning if this keeps up."

Both looked up to the sky, which was still purple with flood clouds. Lightning danced its dance with thunder quick on its heels. And if anything the torrents of rain were only coming down harder, not letting up.

"I have strategists going through archives and making plans on what to do with the water, but until the rain stops nothing is going to help," Stone finished.

"We need higher ground obviously," Glinda stated. Though he surely knew that already. There were easily 15,000 people living in the Emerald City alone, where in Oz would they all go if their homes were flooded out. "Can we set up an evacuation camp in the Kells?"

"There's a problem of mudslides. I've had three reported already on our side, there's a watch out for more but they're as dangerous as the floodwater itself, if not more so," he replied. "We don't have the manpower it would take to move a cities full of people anyway. There just wasn't enough warning and eight feet of water in four hours was unheard of until now."

"Eight feet?"

"In the lower parts of the City, yes. I have teams getting ready to go out and make sure everyone is in the higher stories of the buildings, those who don't fit I intended to have brought here."

"Yes of course. I'll do what I can to keep the water out," Glinda said, racking her mind for waterproof spell. She wondered if she could cast a bubble big enough to engulf the buildings of the city, but even if she could that wouldn't stop the rain.

"I'd hoped you knew something of weather spells," the Captain said. "You did start a snowfall to save that Dorothy girl and her friends once I believe."

That was true, but Madame Morrible had been guiding her then.

"I'll do what I can," Glinda repeated. "I'll need some time though."

"Of course, in the meanwhile I'll round up some volunteers to prepare the Great Hall to hold a lot of people."

"Well done Captain," She said. "I'd like progress reports every hour and have somebody tell me what the strategists come up with."

"Yes ma'am." Stone saluted her and then made his way back to his men, who were ready to cast off and make their way through the city.

Glinda glanced at the sky one more time and then retreated into the Palace. She headed briskly towards the attic tower where the Grimmerie was hidden. If there was a spell for controlling the weather she was sure it would be located in the Grimmerie. Upon arriving at the old attic door she waved the key from it's magical hiding space and unlocked it, making her way straight to the old floorboard beneath the window.

Rain had streamed in through the broken glass, not a lot but enough to make the floor damp and she worried the book of magic would be soaked. But when she'd hauled the Grimmerie from its hiding place and rested it on her knees she found that the ancient tome had not a drop of water on it.

"Weather, weather, how do I control the weather?" Glinda mumbled as she sifted through the pages looking for a picture or a familiar word that would give her a clue as to what she was looking for.

After ten minutes of searching she decided to move down to her office. The water that found its way through the window seemed to avoid the magic pages at all costs but Glinda was having no such luck. So she carried the book from the room and made way for dryer study areas. She found herself wishing not for the first time that Morrible had been a little more forth coming on how to use her weather talent.

An hour later Glinda suspected she'd found the spell she'd been looking for but hadn't a clue as to what it said or how to pronounce the words in the first place. She was ready to start bashing her head against the book in hopes that the bloody thing would impart some of its wisdom through osmosis when a knock came at the office door.

"Yes?" Glinda said, shoving the Grimmerie into a drawer of her enormous white desk.

A man in uniform walked in, she didn't recognize him and he didn't introduce himself.

"Ma'am I've come to inform you that Captain Stone needs you in foyer immediately," he said brusquely.

"Alright," Glinda replied. She got up from her chair, and, deciding the Grimmerie was safe in the drawer for the time being, followed the young soldier out and down to the foyer.

"Captain Stone?" She said getting the waiting officer's attention. "Something to report?"

"Yes. We've gone through half the City, many of the citizens are now in safer, dryer places and my strategists have found some interesting maps in the archives."

"I don't have time for guessing games Captain," Glinda said impatiently. "I don't believe you do either, what have you found."

He produced documents on large pieces of parchment and presented them to her without flourish.

They were indeed maps. From what she could tell they depicted the entire Emerald City and several of the neighboring ones, but not topographically.

"These are beneath the city," she stated, though it was more of a question to make sure she was reading the maps correctly.

"Waterways, yes," Captain stone confirmed, " It would seem that when the Wizard had the city built he predicted something like this, why we don't know, we're just grateful he did. These waterways are all connected, and according to this a pump is located under the palace."

"And it pushes the water out here," Glinda's finger traced the spider webbed tunnels until they met again outside the Emerald City. "Where is this?"

"The Great Kells."

"Well we can't pump it there, it would flood the Vinkus."

"No, it pumps it _beneath_ the Kells, there are thousands of underground lakes in those mountains. It would seem this system filters into the caverns and pockets beneath them."

"So there wouldn't be any water damage, because water's always been there anyway," Glinda concluded. "This is genius, how did the Wizard know about this?"

"Well he is the Wizard. But it seems the last Ozma actually came up with the idea when the plan to dam the Vinkus River fell through, it was a way to pull us out of the drought. By the time the Emerald City was completed though, it wasn't a problem anymore so the pumps were never put to use."

"Has anyone confirmed that these pumps actually _exist_, that they aren't just a plan?"

"I received confirmation from my men fifteen minutes ago."

"Do they work?"

"They're already running. The only problem we have now is pulling the drain plug so to speak. See all we have to do is open any one of these drain stations," Stone pointed to several points on the maps. " It's just a valve that has to be turned according to the diagram and then all the stations automatically open. The problem is we don't know how to get in there. We can't raft to it because when the drain does open we'd get caught in the whirlpool. Swimming is out of the question for the same reason."

"I can get to it," Glinda realized, remembering her bubble. "Just show me how to get to the closest one and get everyone out of the way of the whirlpool."

Stone motioned to his men to quickly finish the evacuation to higher ground.

"Alright just look here," he showed Glinda a route along the main street of Oz. "The drains are located at the lowest points of the city, they're house in little round shacks, all you have to do is turn the valve at the top and the walls of the shack should open and the drains will engage. The pumps are already on ready to direct the water. Just get in and get out. Can anyone go with you just in case?"

Glinda shook her head.

"No the bubble works better with just one, and nothing will happen besides that," she assured him. "When the water is draining I can focus on getting the storm stopped. How concentrated is this storm? This will solve our problem but what about the rest of Oz?"

"The City appears to be Ground Zero. The Kells have taken a beating though, there have been five more since I reported to you last. Restwater is still rising and the shore homes have been evacuated, but the lake was low enough that the water level's not a problem there yet. So far the Gillikun isn't in trouble, they've just got a lot more water in their pipe systems than normal."

Well that was a relief at least. Her parents were safe, and all of Oz wouldn't be swimming through life for the next year.

"How long do you need before I can get this giant bathtub unplugged?"

"Leave for the station in a half an hour, that should give my men time to get back, and have everyone inside."

"Fine, I'll be leaving from the top turret," Glinda informed him. "In the meantime, would you mind getting a count of everyone currently residing in the palace and have a meal started. Breakfast is in four hours and I imagine that after this no one will mind having a nice meal."

"Yes ma'am," Stone replied with a funny sort of smile, as if he wondered how in Oz she could remember such details in a crisis such as this. Then again that was why she was their leader, and why everyone loved her. "Good luck ma'am."

"Thank you Captain."

At that Glinda left once more for the attic. Normally she could launch the bubble from the front steps of the Palace, but in weather like this there was really no telling how hard it would be to fly, and she wanted all the momentum she could get.

So twenty-five minutes later Glinda conjured her bubble and stepped inside. And with a deep breath floated out the window into the onslaught of rain. The water rushed over the bubble and fell to the 'ground' some twenty stories below. The wind beat at her as she flew, but her magic kept the contraption on course and she headed steadily towards the edge of the city.

Below her she could see the extent of the damage. It broke her heart to see the floating pieces of buildings, shingles and even an entire roof that had been stripped from houses and apartment. A few carriages bobbed on top of the water, other taller ones, were anchored beneath the floods and just barely jutted above the water level. She could just imagine how the lower stories of the buildings looked on the inside. The apartments, offices and shops themselves wouldn't be too torn apart, as most of the City was constructed in stone, but the furniture and people's belongings would be drowned. And she doubted all of the problem could be fixed with her limited magical ability.

At last she was directly above the hut that housed the drain. It was unmistakable as it was gray instead of emerald and it was a squat, round little thing. As she approached she could see the valve on top of the roof. The water lapped around the edges of the roof as she stepped out of the bubble and it disappeared behind her.

'Here goes nothing,' She thought. 'Lefty loosy, Righty tighty.'

With that she threw her whole weight into turning the valve to the left. When the valve could no longer turn she stood back, wondering why nothing was happening. Then the entire building she stood on began to rumble, and the water at the edge of the roof began to rush at it faster and faster until the rumbling stopped and she could only feel the water gushing down the drain.

Glinda caught herself wishing the drain in her own bathtub worked this well, but it was always getting clogged with hair. Then she realized that it might not be such a good idea to be standing on top of the drain when the water was swirling faster and faster around her. So the bubble was re-conjured quickly and Glinda lifted off, now soaking wet however, into the rain once more.

Ten minutes later she touched down on the front steps of the Palace (considerably more of them visible now she noted) and entered the foyer to find Captain Stone and his men waiting for her return.

"Well?"

"What?" Glinda said nonchalantly. She began ringing water out of her hair and then with deliberate coyness she continued. "Oh, you mean the drains. Well…they worked."

The entire foyer seemed to burst with cheers.

"Thank Goodness!" Someone cried loudly.

"They Goodness!" the crowd of soldiers and servants and a few citizens echoed.

Glinda felt her heart rush, reveling in the moment. The crowds the cheers, the happy face. It was easy for a moment, to forget that they were in the middle of a crisis and not out of the woods yet. It was easy for a split second to pretend that nothing of the past seven months had happened at all, that Elphaba and Fiyero were still alive and the only duty Glinda had was to put on a smile and wave.

But a split second was as long as it lasted; Glinda was forced back to reality as the doors behind her swung open again. She turned to the gaping doorway, so did everyone in the room. The cheers died down and the sound of the rain against the receding water overpowered the silence in the room as everyone's gaze fell upon the figure, swathed in a black cloak, filling the doorway.

Glinda gasped, "You're back!"

**Dun, dun, dun! I felt like a cliff hanger, mostly because I'm diabolical that way and because this chapter is already fairly long. Um, so I didn't update as quickly as I'd hoped, obviously. Sorry! This chapter, has been rewritten six times now, and I'm grounded so posting has been a bit difficult. I will update again as soon as I can write the next chapter. I'm especially interested in reviews for this one, since it was such a pain to write. I'm not sure if I really like it a lot yet, so I'd love to know what you think. Until next time!**


	9. Who Will Stop the Rain

Ever After

Who Will Stop the Rain

"_You're back."_

Time seemed to freeze, and though the cloaked figure's face was hidden completely by a dripping hood Glinda knew what she'd find when the hood was drawn away. Beneath it would be the handsome face of a man with startling green eyes, and if his hair weren't soaked it would be light brown and shaggy but wouldn't quite cover the earring in his left ear, the earring would probably a silver dagger.

"Yeah, soggy trip," a blessedly familiar voice quipped as a gloved hand rose to draw back the headwear. The face, though now covered by a beard was the one Glinda had been expecting. His piercing eyes trailed around the room, searching the faces of people who were trying to pretend they weren't staring.

"I didn't think you'd come back," Glinda said quietly, as if offering an explanation and thanks to whatever god had seen his safe return all at once.

"Obviously. What in blazes is going on here?"

"Well the weather these days is so peculiar," she answered, trying to sound as if nothing was really wrong. But he wasn't fooled she could tell. "You might have noticed. Why don't we talk in my office, you can tell me all about your trip."

Glinda gave him no choice, she took him by the hand and dragged him in the general direction of the west wing. She left instructions with Captain Stone to make sure everyone was fed and then continued on her way, paying no attention to her captive's soaking clothes.

"I can walk by myself you know, " he said once they had finally entered an empty corridor. Glinda rolled her eyes but gave him back his hand.

"And you could at least let me run and change into something resembling dry."

"This is kind of important," she insisted.

"I'm going to catch my death! And you can imagine what I'll do to your upholstery if I sit down."

"Fine go change, be in my office in five minutes."

"I won't be gone a clock-tik," he said over his shoulder, for he was already heading in the opposite direction.

"Yes, well that's what you said before you left the first time," Glinda muttered bitterly as she watched his retreat. When he turned a corner and went out of sight she walked the rest of the way to her office alone, and sat down behind her desk.

The man was Kristian Marvel, close personal friend of Glinda the Good and the late Fiyero Tiggular as well as godson to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He'd been one of the few_ real_ friends she'd had since Elphaba had left her in the Emerald City and had been added to the ranks of friends lost since he'd disappeared off the face of the planet three months before.

Kristian Marvel had arrived in Oz in much the same fashion as Dorothy had not so long ago. Not in a flying house of course, but one day, about five years before, he'd just appeared in the square of the City. Someone had directed him to the Wizard, who of course couldn't send him back to wherever he'd come from . . . was it Misery? Mis-something . . . So the arrangements had been made for Kris to stay in Oz as a sort of heir to the Wizard.

Then two girls from Shiz University had shown up and thrown a monkey wrench in their plans. They'd gone about it in different ways, but the affect was the same. One, Glinda, had to be kept happy and quiet. The other had to be found and brought down.

Most of Oz didn't know Kris existed; Glinda had been one of the few who left the Palace regularly who knew exactly who he was. She supposed he was supposed to inherit the Wizard's position eventually, and she would have gotten Morrible's despite their competition.

"Are my five minutes up yet?" Kris said from behind her, she swiveled her chair around. He was standing near the desk in dry clothes and was clean shaven, his hair was pulled back from his face.

"Yes, sit down."

They sat staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity, neither was quite sure how to proceed from there. It had been nearly four months since they'd seen one another, and so much had happened since then.

"I like what you've done to the place," Kris commented, trying to break the ice. He was scrutinizing the office that had once been his godfather's, that was maybe rightfully his own.

"Something had to be done to lighten up the room," Glinda said, defending the girlish touch she'd put on the office.

"I said I liked it didn't I?"

Glinda almost let herself meet his gaze, but shot her eyes to the floor before he could catch her in his green orbs.

"Will you tell me what's going on now? I know you didn't want to in front of all those people but something's up, or you wouldn't be so quiet. What's happened since you've been away?"

"Too much," Glinda said, unsure of where she should even start. "Where have you been?"

"I left to try and keep the Vinkus from seceding, you know that."

"Kris I got the documents finalizing the secession a month ago, where have you been?"

"Everywhere, I think. I ended up somewhere east of Kvon Altar with a nasty klonk on the head after a fall. I have the scar look…"

"No I don't want to. What happened then?"

"Well for awhile I wasn't well enough to make the trip back to the train. Then I didn't know who I was or where I was from so I ended up staying with this family till my memory came back."

"Convenient," Glinda muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing, how did you get back?"

"The train, and then when the rain started I had no clue what was up so I got as close to the Palace as I could before they stopped the boats."

"And now you're home."

"Now I'm home. Would you tell me what's going on? Where are Uncle Oscar and Morrible? I haven't gotten any straight answers since I left the Vinkus. And why the hell is it raining? I thought you put the rain on a schedule?"

"We did," Glinda said, answering the easy question. "I don't know what's going on, I was woke up to a flood at three in the morning and we've been trying to fix that ever since. The new Captain found a scheme to drain the City and it worked, all the water is on its way to underground lakes in the Kells. But I don't know how to stop the rain now."

"Well where's Madame Morrible? She could fix this in a snap you know that."

Glinda closed her eyes and desperately tried to find an eloquent way to tell him that he'd been betrayed by those he loved too.

"Morrible is in prison. The Wizard, Oscar, left in a balloon for the other world more than a month ago."

"What, why?"

"He was taking Dorothy back . . . you heard about Dorothy didn't you . . . He couldn't stop the balloon. And Morrible is evil, she… just she …"

"Glinda stop, start at the beginning."

So Glinda told him, she told him everything. She knew she was breaking her promise to Elphaba but Kris had to know, and she knew he wouldn't hate her afterwards.

"Morrible was right," she finished a half an hour later. "I got everything I wanted, at the expense of everything I needed."

"What did you need?" Kris asked, because he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Friends, love – real love, not the kind you get from being a public figure. Everything I didn't know I had until I lost it. I'm trying to earn the love people seem to have for me, but I'm obviously not doing a very good job of it."

"Oh hush, you don't have time for a pity party. And you know that's not true besides. I'm back now and I can get the Animal Banns lifted. We can fix this together, we were supposed to in the first place, we just have to do it sooner than we expected is all."

"You're staying then?"

"You couldn't hex me away," he promised. "I don't know exactly what I'll be now that you're in the lead, I always told you you'd beat me out eventually."

"I don't know, I could use a partner more than a press secretary or a vizier," Glinda said thoughtfully.

"We can figure that out later, right now we have a storm to stop." He amended.

"How do you propose we do that?"

"How are you with weather. Horrible, you know that. I already tried everything I can think of."

"Then maybe we should go to Morrible. We can negotiate something."

"What exactly, she'll want her freedom and I refuse to let her loose on humanity again."

"Do you have a better idea?"

Glinda sighed, defeated. She didn't, that was the problem.

"Then for now she's our only chance, unless you want to change the Emerald City to the Floating City, those pumps and drains won't work forever. You don't have a choice and you know it," Kris insisted. "You've got more to worry about now than a debt over a friend. There is an entire city waiting for you to rescue them once more, this is your chance to do some good."

Then why did it feel like she would be selling her soul?

"Fine. Let's go talk to Morrible."

The stairs to the dungeon were dark and dank, lit only by torches placed at measured intervals along the walls. They were clean but it was obvious that they were in a dungeon. Glinda and Kris descended the steps together, two guards followed close behind.

Finally when the creepiness of the whole place had reached a peak they reached the landing and made their way along the cellblock that held Madame Morrible. Most of the cells were empty, though one or two held sleeping captives who had been incarcerated for something other than merely being an Animal.

After a walk that seemed miles long they group reached Morrible's cell.

"What's in it for me," came the growl through the bars.

Morrible herself, was sitting on a cot, she was staring at the wall across the cell so she could only be seen in profile. Her hair was wild and she was no longer where the elaborately eccentric dresses of her previous position. Instead she dressed in a green smock like thing, and did since no make up was afforded to her she looked every bit the broken old woman that she was quickly becoming.

"What?" Glinda asked carefully. She didn't want to lose the upper-hand in this situation and she knew that even broken and imprisoned Morrible had retained the knack for stealing it.

"I know why you're here. What's in it for me?" The old lady growled again, not even bothering with the cheerful grandmotherly façade.

"Why don't we start with the fact that you won't drown when the dungeon is the first part of the Palace to flood," Glinda gritted out.

That made her think.

"I'll need a room with a window. A big window," Morrible began, in a slightly more human tone. "And once the storm stops I'll be allowed to stay there, instead of in this rat trap."

"You're not in much of a position to make demands," Glinda reminded her.

"Neither are you." The old woman retorted. "That room will be nicely furnished too, a nice bed, some chairs, a fireplace. And once a week new books will be delivered to me, of my choice."

"You don't ask for freedom?" Kris said, surprised.

The old woman cackled. It somehow reminded Glinda of Elphaba's laugh, but then Elphaba had usually been genuinely amused when she laughed. And there was nothing funny about Morrible.

"Right, I'm smart enough to know I won't get that just yet. But there are dark days ahead and our gracious good witch has managed to fly her bubble right over the edge," she said, when her fiendish cackle stopped. "Personally I would have thought you'd be smart enough not to follow her my dear boy, but I suppose you're just like your godfather and a pretty face is a little too much to resist. Now do we have a deal?"

Glinda set her jaw, her mind racing to come up with the answer. The bottom line was the rain _had_ to stop. And better accommodations seemed like a rather innocuous request. She could work in the Grimmerie for future trouble, but she didn't have the time now to decipher the spells and summon the power to make them work.

"Done."

All right I don't know that I like this chapter all that much, but it had to be done so it may just have to be fixed when I figure out how. Feedback would be tremendously appreciated, please tell me what you think and what you would like more/less of. Thanks for reading! I know this one's short so there will either be a double update or a midweek update if I can swing it. Go review please!


	10. Snapshots

**Ever After**

**Snapshots**

**Tip of my hat to Yero My Hero, who helped –probably more than she knows- with this chapter and put up with my craziness and really bad grammar. Thanks!**

**And thanks to everybody who's been reviewing, they help a ton!**

**Okay folks, one more really quick thing before this starts I must warn you of potential confusion. This chapter is called snapshots for a reason, after the next couple updates the story is going to jump forward a year, but I wanted to give you an idea of what's going on within the skipped year, so you're getting the abridged version in the form of little 'snapshots' of life in Oz as it is, starting roughly two months after the melting of the Wicked Witch of the West. It alternates from Elphaba's and Glinda's perspectives plus one surprise character whom I am sure you all will have guessed by the end. Lines break the perspectives. I hope that averts the potential crisis. Read on!**

Fiery oranges and reds drowned the western sky as the sun sank below the horizon. Waves of turquoise rolled lazily up the sandy beach and then turned to chase themselves back out to sea. Elphaba was reveling in all of it, trying to soak everything in all at once as her honeymoon drew to a close and the time to head back to reality got ever nearer. But for just a moment she could sit with her feet buried in the sand and enjoy the last traces of this surreal place Fiyero had taken her to.

It would have been overwhelmingly wonderful if her husband would join her instead of worrying over making sure that their supplies for the week were put together properly so servants could retrieve them the next morning.

"Ready to go?"

Her wish was granted as Fiyero sat down behind her. She settled back into him, not taking her eyes off of the sunset.

"Do we have to?" She asked, even though she knew the answer all too well.

Fiyero's chest rumbled gently against her head as he chuckled at her reply and a smile crept over her lips.

"I'm afraid so. My parents are probably ready to send out a search party already, we were supposed to leave for home at dawn remember?"

"I believe I was slightly distracted at the time," she replied slyly, planting a kiss on the arm that had snaked around her.

"Well yes, but that wasn't exactly my fault."

"Oh yes it was," she retorted.

"Sunsets sure are pretty here aren't they," he said, when he couldn't come up with a coherent rejoinder.

"Yes they are," Elphaba agreed, turning her attention back to the disappearing sun.

They sat like that, nestled together on the sand, letting the waves lap at their feet, just looking to the western sky. When the sun had finally been swallowed by the sea, the light extinguished for the night, and the first stars began appearing in the twilight they both rose in one accord. After sharing one last kiss in their secret paradise they made their way back up the beach to the horse waiting to carry them back to the world.

All too soon they found themselves traveling up the quiet streets of Loryntium. Iisen Lier loomed before them; haloed by the moon and protecting it's little province like a mother hen would her chicks. Within minutes the horse had been turned over to a stable boy and the two newlyweds were making their way through the courtyard (which was now devoid of all traces of the wedding except for the fairy lights still resting in the trees) and into the palace.

"Wait, wait," Fiyero stopped his bride when they reached the door. "I'm supposed to carry you over the threshold."

"I don't think so."

"Now, now, it's tradition you don't want to spoil it sweetheart."

"Since when have we been traditional, and what did I say about you calling me sweetheart?"

It was too late however, Elphaba made the mistake of getting playfully riled up and Fiyero surprised her, sweeping her off her feet and hauling her through the doors. She had half a mind to kick and scream and protest, but changed her mind and just enjoyed herself.

* * *

_1 Month Later_

Oz watched as the pinkish-white bubble descended from the sky to the city square below. Cheers erupted from the crowd as soon as the bubble was close enough to reveal its beloved occupant. Kristian Marvel stepped up on a platform that had been constructed in the square to wait patiently for the bubble to touch the floor and with a soft pop release Glinda the Good.

Glinda immediately turned her attention to the crowds, who quieted to hear the voice of their leader, their love. Kris turned to the crowd as well and picked up Glinda's contagious smile as he watched the citizens stand in reverent awe of the beautiful, and powerful, woman next to him.

"Fellow Ozians," Glinda began, speaking into a microphone so her voice projected through the city. "It has been a month since I last addressed you. It has been a long month, of hard work and trials since the storm ravaged our wonderful city. Finally that hard work has paid off. Our home is home once more, and that victory is something to celebrate!"

This announcement made the crowds applaud and grateful roar put the word 'thunderous' to shame.

"So gather about your family and friends," Kris continued where Glinda left off. "And bask in your triumph, enjoy your new and repaired homes and the dry streets! To Oz!"

Kris then raised a champagne flute to his lips and took a long sip to end the ceremony and begin the festivating.

The sea of people cheered again and clapped. Then the crowds parted into groups for dancing drinking, good company and other forms of merriment.

"And to Oz's lovely leader," Kris said suavely and quietly to the woman at his side.

Glinda blushed, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Yes well, I can't very well toast myself can I?"

She flashed him a brilliant smile, the most genuine smile he'd seen her wear since his return, and snapped her fingers and another champagne flute, identical to his, appeared in her hand.

"To you then," she said, raising her glass and clinked it gently against his.

"Nice trick," Kris said after they'd both nearly drained their glasses.

"Unfortunately, parlor tricks won't save the country when another crisis hits," she mused, surveying the party going on about her.

"I need your help with something." She finished, but didn't elaborate.

As soon as they could Glinda and Kris retreated to the quiet palace and she led him to her bedroom. It was a bit improper looking she supposed, but she couldn't think of any other place where she was positive they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Oh wow, where'd you get this?" Kris asked in astonishment when she produced the Grimmerie.

"It doesn't matter, I need to learn how to read it," Glinda replied. "And since I'm pretty sure it's from your world I was hoping you could help me read it."

"Well most of it's in Latin," he said as he examined the pages. "And mine is a little rusty, but I think Oscar had books on Latin in his study. Why is it so important that you learn to read it?"

"Because. I have a feeling we'll be needing it," Glinda answered cryptically. That was all she would tell him.

* * *

"Hey beautiful," Fiyero said, wrapping his arms around his wife as she reached for a book located several shelves above her head. "What're you up to now?" 

Elphaba allowed herself the luxury of melting into his arms to take her mind off her "studies" for while.

"Studying. You know there are times I really wish I had finished school before starting my 'campaign'. Madame Morrible may have been an evil, manipulative hag but she sure knew her weather magic."

"Weather magic? Is that what's got you so preoccupied?"

"Yes, I think it would be very beneficial if we knew why the enchantment over the Emerald City went so terribly wrong."

"And it hasn't occurred to you that it might have been Morrible's magic?"

"No, it has. But She needs to have a good view of the sky to get her power going, and last I heard Glinda had her incarcerated in the dungeons of the Emerald Palace."

"I see. Well, as much as I would love to make a little magic with you right now," he said trailing kisses along her neck. "My mother is waiting for you in the parlor."

"Oh? I though my "Queen Lessons" were over for the day."

"I don't know what she wants," Fiyero said. He didn't really care, except to be slightly put off because evening was when he was supposed to have Elphaba to himself. So he did his best to be distracting. And he was doing a very good job of it, to Elphaba's delight and dismay.

"No, I better go see what she wants," she protested when he turned her to have full access to her lips.

"But she got you al day," Fiyero whined adorably.

"Yes, but when I get back, you get me all night," she whispered seductively against his lips.

"Well get going then," he mumbled back, but he caught her with a very un-chaste kiss before he let her go.

"A state ball? She thinks I'm ready to attend a state ball? I signed onto no balls when I got into this," Elphaba raved when she made it up to their bedroom a half an hour later.

"Well what did you expect princess?" Fiyero asked soberly, meeting her in front of the fireplace.

"I didn't expect my name to be changed to Cinderelphaba for one thing."

Fiyero bit back a laugh, knowing it would get him into trouble. It wasn't easy though.

"Relax, they aren't so bad. I used to think they were kind of fun."

"Well you would," Elphaba grumbled. "You like to dance. Not only do I not like to dance, I can't. Or do you not remember the Ozdust incident?"

"I remember your dance becoming a sensation-

"Because Galinda joined in!"

"And I remember dancing at our wedding, you weren't complaining then."

"Well yes, but hugging and swaying hardly qualifies me for the ballroom," Elphaba rejoined.

"Look, don't worry about it. We have almost a month to teach you all you need to know and I think you'll find yourself enjoying it a lot more than you realize," Fiyero replied, kissing her nose as he said it.

"I can't just not worry about it, I'm paranoid, it's what I do," she insisted, but only half-heartedly.

"Well you'll just have to let me take your mind off it then," he replied.

Elphaba was of half a mind to protest at that point, but quickly thought better of it as her husband began to work his magic, quite efficiently 'taking her mind off it' for the rest of the evening.

* * *

_Three months later_

The light outside the Emerald Palace was fading into the west, signaling the end of another day in Oz. Kris stood before a large window in the residence portion of the Palace, gazing in wonderment at the fabulous color washing over the city. That was the thing about living in a city of emerald. Everything was bright and green all the time so the color ceased to be special or significant. But occasionally, just before dusk, the sunset's color would paint the town, bringing a welcome contrast. It brought life to the green that wasn't especially important until the pink showed up.

Around him the rooms and corridors were quiet. Most of the palace residents had gone down or out for dinner. The cleaning crews wouldn't venture out until everyone else had gone to bed. So there was really no reason for it to be noisy.

Kris had to chuckle at himself a bit. He'd spent the whole day in meetings wishing people would just shut up. Now that it was finally peaceful he wanted the noise back, it was just too lonely with only his thoughts for company. And dangerous too, for his thoughts had a funny way breaking the rules he imposed on himself.

So he found himself longing for some company, strangely one person's company in particular. Someone whose company he'd never really craved before, or was really supposed to hope to see. It was funny because he and Glinda were supposed to be co-leaders, but all week their divided duties kept them from having a clock-tik to chat. He missed the days when he and Fiyero and Glinda could take a break from their studies and have a night out on the town. Those were the days when they'd been mostly anonymous back then and almost carefree.

He stood contemplating for a minute before making a decision, but as soon as he had he knew it was the right one. So he changed quickly into some clothes less suited for business and more appropriate for fun and made his way down the hall.

"Come in." Was the muffled reply when he knocked on the door of Glinda's bedroom.

He let himself inside her 'inner sanctum' and found her sitting before the window, the Grimmerie lay open on the floor before her but she was paying more attention to the spectacular view of the western sky outside.

"Jeez, all you do these days is work," he commented lightly as he approached her.

She seemed a little startled and she turned to him fast enough to give herself whiplash.

"Oh, I thought you'd be Mork with my dinner," she said as she recovered. "Sorry I would have made myself a little more snappy."

"Don't worry about it, it's been a long day you deserve a break."

"Well there's more to do," Glinda said. She herself was missing the days when she could drop everything and go have some fun, but she was a public figure, that kind of anonymity wasn't something she had the luxury of anymore.

"I think it can wait until tomorrow. And I think your dinner date with yourself can be canceled, I'm sure you'll understand if you come up with a good excuse."

She didn't even smile.

"I can't, I have to—

"Whatever happened to the Glinda I knew not so long ago, the one who loved having fun with her friends?"

_She finally learned the price of that love,_ Glinda thought bitterly. She missed that Glinda too. More so she missed the friends that Glinda had dropped everything for.

"C'mon, I can't have you turning into a workaholic just yet, you're far too young, it'd make me look bad."

"No, I have things to do and besides that I can't just run around town for fun anymore."

"Oh, why not?" Kris challenged.

"Well you can't either, we're public figures—

"So we're not allowed to have a good time once in a while?"

"Not like we used to. Fun is having big parties with our happy subjects."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?"

Glinda's face fell. She wasn't sure about the answer to that one.

"Come with me, I seem to remember you cast your best spells working cosmetology, no one has to know who we are. Just go put on something Glinda the Good would never wear and come back out and change our hair a bit. We can be nobodies for a whole evening."

It was tempting, too tempting. How could she turn down an offer like that? Especially if the said offer was backed by those soulful green eyes.

"Fine, I'll be a minute."

"Hurry up, suns gonna go down and the city will come alive without us."

"I'm going, I'm going."

She disappeared into her closet. It was funny, she almost had more clothes than she could ever possibly wear, and yet they were all the big, poofy kind that had become her trademark as the good sorceress of Oz. There was nothing in here she _wouldn't_ wear to some official function or another. She searched through what seemed like miles of fabric until she finally reached the back of the closet and pulled out something she'd completely forgotten she had at all.

It was a simple black, knee-length dress she'd gotten during her first year at Shiz. She hadn't even gotten it for herself really. One Saturday she'd dragged Elphaba off-campus to go shopping and had bought her a light lavender dress, and forced her to wear it for the rest of the day. The color had suited her very well, Elphaba had looked gorgeous, though she'd never admit it, and probably still didn't believe it at that point.

As retaliation Elphaba had picked out another dress for Galinda, it was nearly a clone of her own except in black. Glinda had only ever worn it that one short day; Elphaba had only worn hers that day too. But they'd had fun gallivanting about town in their not-quite-matching dresses.

It was black and though the design never really went out of style it wasn't the latest elaborate concoction from the top designers in Oz. In short, it was perfect for a night of being 'normal'.

Glinda quickly shucked the behemoth she was currently adorned in and traded it for the black dress. She then pulled on a pair of black sandals she rarely wore and grabbed a white purse before returning to the main part of her bedroom to where Kris was waiting for her.

He whistled low as he gave her a once over that was flattering but not lecherous. She couldn't resist a little spin to show off her new look. She looked gorgeous, he had to admit, though he doubted the wisdom of following _that_ train of thought. It would only get him in trouble later.

"So any thoughts as to how to change our "do's"."

"Yup." Glinda produced a wand she hadn't used in years, and with a swish and flick his hair was suddenly dirty blonde and slightly curly. Once more and her own hair was straight and brown with red highlights. It took Kris a little getting used to, but he decided he liked it.

"Are we sufficiently unrecognizable?"

"Can't you get a little taller?" He teased.

"Don't even go there," she warned.

"Alright then," he said, offering his arm as they walked out her door, leaving the wand, the Grimmerie and their lives as leaders behind, if only for a short while.

Hours later found the two strolling down the streets of the Emerald City. Kris had an arm draped casually about Glinda's shoulders (to help with the disguise of the cute, ambiguous couple he told himself) and she had an arm looped around his waist (for the same reason_ of course_). Both were enjoying their relative invisibleness. For an evening they'd been able to escape the confines of the Palace without being met by flashing cameras and reporters, and people in the street eager to meet or touch the leaders of Oz.

"Well miss," Kris said, careful not say Glinda's actual name as they'd agreed before leaving the castle. "We've caught a show, for once not Wizomania, and eaten a fabulous dinner at a pub filled with people crazier than even we are. Anything else you're dying to do or am I supposed to have you home by midnight?"

Glinda giggled, no doubt the effect of whatever fruity concoction she'd had with her dinner.

"It's a little later for that I think," she was still sober enough to read the clock in the square.

"I don't think there's much to do around here after midnight, we should work on that," she joked.

"Ahh, it's not too bad. We probably ought to get back anyway, someone will wonder where we are and Aliira shouldn't have to hold them off all night." He replied, giving her an easy way out.

She was just tired enough by then to take it. Not that she hadn't enjoyed the night, but she'd been dealing with nightmares in the form of delegates and dreams all week, she was afraid she'd be turning into a pumpkin pretty soon.

"Yes, why don't we catch a cab and take a drive down the riverside to the back gates."

Kris agreed and a minute later he'd hailed just the cab and was helping her up into it.

"The lights sure are pretty," Glinda commented, as she watched the river slide passed outside her window. The few boats in the water were all lit up, and on the other side the suburbs of the Emerald City was illuminated by porch lights.

"Sure are," Kris echoed. But he wasn't watching the river lights; his eyes were glued to his companion.

_Stop it,_ he reprimanded himself a second later. _You swore you wouldn't go here when you got into this._

He'd never intended to become very attached to Glinda at all. Sure they were old friends and certainly were colleagues. But she'd been the fiancée of his best friend. The pretty girl he could never have. And she was still getting over the deaths of Fiyero and some nameless other friend, not to mention reeling from the shock of the natural disaster Oz had barely gotten through, he couldn't take advantage of her that way.

But that didn't stop him from draping his arm back around her shoulders when her dead fell against his chest halfway home. He was surprised when she started snoring just a bit. And more surprised that it wasn't _because_ she was snoring, but because she'd been tired enough to fall asleep in the first place. They'd only been riding for about ten minutes, he hadn't realized she was so exhausted.

After twenty more minutes (he had said take the long way after all) they finally pulled up to the private gates of the Emerald Palace.

"Glinda," Kris whispered so the driver wouldn't hear. "We're home, wake up."

She didn't stir. He was about to try again when the cabbie stuck his head back to talk.

"Are you sure this is the right address, sir?" The gentleman asked, he looked as if he was trying very hard to refrain from scratching his head in confusion. Kris didn't see what the big deal was; all sorts of people used this particular gate.

"Yeah this is it," he replied, shoving a handsome wad of money into the driver's fist while he had his attention. Then Kris turned back to Glinda.

"C'mon, wake up." He shook her gently and she stirred at last. Ultra-marine eyes burst open as Glinda sprang awake. She seemed startled to find him hovering over her. "Hey it's okay, we're just home."

"Oh all right," Glinda mumbled, and accepted his hand in getting out of the cab.

She held onto his arm lightly as they wandered up the walk to the door of the palace. It was partially hidden by vines, the strange green on green combination would lose its oddness by dawn when the morning glory bloomed, but at the moment it just melded around the Oz oak door.

The walk up to the residence remained blurry in Glinda's mind, though she'd thought she hadn't consumed enough alcohol to be forgetting things. Then again, Kris wouldn't remember much either, and he'd always been able to hold his liquor much better than she.

He walked her all the way to the door of her chambers, though it certainly wasn't necessary, she was fully alert and nearly sober. The two stopped before the ornate doors and turned to one another, both just a little uncomfortable, neither knowing quite how to say good night after the evening they'd just had.

"Well," Kris began uneasily, eager to break the tension. "I had a good time, I hope you did too."

_Well that was quite the line, in fifth grade now are you? _

"I did," Glinda replied, pretending not to notice his anxiety or her own. "I imagine we shouldn't but I'd like to slip out more often like that. It's a nice escape.

He found himself nodding, though he was sure that wasn't how he wanted the night to end.

Glinda reached a neatly manicured hand out to the golden handle of the door, but hesitated to pull it. She stood watching Kris, waiting for him to say something more. It was a dangerous game they were playing, they were alarmingly close to getting lost in one another's eyes. Neither paid any heed to the warning signs unfortunately – or was it fortunately? – so when Glinda looked up just a fraction of an inch more, blue depths met the green abyss and she was gone. Lost entirely to the feeling of the moment, her brain went entirely offline and her heart took over. Kris was beginning to get swept away in the same feeling, though he put up more of a fight the passion of an instant won out and he found himself leaning forward and down, his eyes still drowning in hers.

She saw exactly what he was doing, what they were doing, and for a split second she was afraid, but it passed and she turned her head up just a tiny bit to meet him and welcome him. Their lips barely brushed at first, as if they were both terrified. As Kris stepped a little closer to have a better angle, Glinda half expected bells to ring or violins to play in her head, but then she realized she wouldn't have been able to hear over the raucous her heart was making anyway.

After a second Kris grew more confident, his tongue traced Glinda's bottom lip, ever so softly seeking entrance, which she granted after a second of uncertainty. Her free hand reached up to rest on his shoulder, both of his went to her waist, pulling her closer.

Reality came rushing back, after what seemed like eons, when Glinda felt her back press against the door and remembered her hand was still on the handle. She pulled away; her mind racing and heart still matching it beat for beat.

"Good-night," she said, because she couldn't come up with anything else. She didn't dare meet his eyes or look at his confused expression; instead she finally pushed on the handle and slipped into her bedroom.

Kris stood at the close door for a moment, feeling very stupid and rather embarrassed. He shouldn't have done that. But as he walked away towards his own chambers he glanced back to the door more than once, wondering if she'd reemerge. When she didn't he rounded the corner and increased his pace, berating himself for thinking for a split second that he could waltz his way into her life after meaning nothing to her for so long. It would take more than one night of freedom and more than one date.

Inside her bedroom Glinda went through the motions of getting ready for bed. She put the Grimmerie in the safe in her closet for the night, and returned the brunette look to her own blonde and brushed her hair out, she'd re-curl it in the morning. All the while she ran her tongue or fingers over her lips, she could still feel Kristian's kiss lingering there.

That couldn't possibly have meant anything more than a simple goodnight kiss. It _couldn't_. But she wanted it to, and she knew very well that kisses like that weren't shared between a couple of friends. So the real question was what was she going to do about it?

Glinda didn't sleep well that night. Too many thoughts plagued her mind. She didn't know if she wanted to start a relationship, especially one with Kris. He was her friend; he had been Fiyero's best friend. It was a little strange to imagine going beyond friendship with him, but it felt right too. She didn't know, she just didn't know.

"Oh Elphie, where are you when I need you?" She asked aloud, though nothing but the otherwise empty bedroom was there to hear. She found herself wishing that she could transport herself back four years, back to a little dorm room at Shiz University, where a fire would be crackling below the hearth on the far wall, and a green girl would be waiting to impart her wisdom while Glinda put pins and flowers in her hair.

* * *

Elphaba was sitting in front of the fireplace in the library, reading a book to occupy her time while Fiyero was in a meeting with his father. She wasn't very engrossed in the book though, so when the crystal ball flickered to life it caught her eye. Her curiosity piqued, the ball had never awakened by itself before. She set the book down on the table by her chair and picked her way through low bookshelves and tables until she stood before the crystal ball. 

"_Oh Elphie, where are you when I need you?"_

"Glinda," Elphaba whispered, reaching a hand out to rest on the glassy picture just above her distraught friend's image. "I'm here, I'm right here."

_And I'm all too far away._

She wished she could retrieve her broom from the back of the closet and rush off to the Emerald City to find out whatever was wrong. But reason held her back. If she'd have rushed to Glinda's side every time she had a crisis during school Elphaba never would have made it to class. She couldn't fly off the handle at the first sign of tears. But she wished she knew what had caused them.

"Don't cry anymore Glinda, I hear you." Elphaba said, wondering if was at all possible that the charm on the necklace that rested lopsidedly on the blonde's collarbone could transmit the message to its wearer. She wanted to tell her everything would be all right, but how could she when she didn't know what was wrong?

* * *

Noon the next day found Glinda in the gardens of the Palace. She'd decided to take her lunch there, mostly for the privacy it afforded. The gardens were expansive and the labyrinth of plants made it easy to disappear. And Glinda wanted nothing more than to be alone for a little while, away from bickering councilors and boisterous bureaucrats. But 'alone' was trap, it looked appealing but once one acquired it, it was suddenly all too lonesome. 

"Is this seat taken?" An all too familiar voice asked.

Maybe she wasn't as disappeared as she thought she was.

"It is now." Glinda said, turning slightly to face Kris. She scooched over on the bench and pulled her cumbersome dress closer to allow him to sit down.

"I see you're back to yourself," he said, gesturing to her returned golden curls. "But if I didn't know any better I'd say you were avoiding me."

"Well I haven't done a good job of it then obviously."

"I was kind of hoping you'd like to talk about last night."

"I had a good time."

"We established that. The events taking place after the 'I had a good time's' are what I was going for."

"Oh boy," Glinda muttered under her breath.

"Look, I don't want to make this any more uncomfortable than it already is, so I just wanted to apologize. We had fun last night, I enjoyed it and I guess you did as well, but I shouldn't have taken advantage of you that way. We were both tipsy and tired and I'm sorry."

Glinda for a very long minute, considered taking his apology and letting the whole business be done with. She could run with the excuse that she'd been drunk and not thinking but for once in her life she felt she _was_ thinking. For once in her life it was the moment of decision and she knew she had a useful head on her shoulders.

"Don't apologize, you don't need to. Neither one of us was that drunk or tired, don't cheapen what happened by making excuses."

Kris looked up from his feet to catch her steady, unashamed gaze.

"I owe you an apology, however. I shouldn't have run like I did, it was very unfair to you, to both of us really. And it was cowardly, and _I'm_ sorry."

Kris stood up, tearing himself from her stare. His mind reeling over what she was saying. If she was sorry was there a chance? Or was this the part where she tried to let him down gently?

"Look I don't know where you want to go from here," Glinda said, nervousness born from uncertainty rising in her now, so she started talking, "I never really considered something like this happening between us. I mean I did, but I didn't think it would _actually_ happen. But now that it has, I don't know, do we go with it? It seems so strange, now that we're here, and I'd kind of like to see what happens and…

Her babble faded out as he caught onto what she was trying to get at and a little hope grew in his heart.

"Glinda."

"… I don't know if it will work but till we try we'll never – What?"

"You don't have to convince me."

She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by his lips descending on her own. And the questions died in her throat, becoming a small whimper that only served to encourage Kristian forward.

High above the two new lovers in the south tower a figure stood at a barred window.

* * *

"Oh how _sweet_. She thinks she's discovered her happily-ever after," spat the cruel woman watching the two embracing stories below. Her gravelly voice made a mockery of everything good in the world as she spoke to herself, "Well my dear, happily-ever-after is what I happen to excel at destroying. So sorry to rain on your parade." She tried to cackle, but her joyless voice couldn't even succeed at that.

* * *

**Okay so there was some obligatory fluff, a little plot furthering and it's really long, so I'm sorry about the terribly slow update but I hope this sufficed. There will be more Elphaba/Fiyero in the next couple of chapters, and other fun stuff like that. Please review I'm anxious to hear what you think. Thanks for reading!**


	11. Here Comes the Rain Again

**Ever After**

**Here Comes the Rain Again**

_Here comes the rain again, falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like a new emotion…Is it raining with you?_

**Okay I'm shutting up, on with the story.**

Elation. Nervousness. Hope. Maybe even fear. It was hard to put a name to what she was feeling, there were just too many emotions coursing through her at that moment.

Elphaba was sitting on the edge of a balcony on the east side of the castle. It was still relatively early in the morning, and though the middle of fall was quickly approaching the sun's rays were already warm on her face. She'd come there to think, it was one of her favorite places in the palace, mostly because of the view. As she watched the sunlight spread ever so slowly over the colorful forest surrounding Loryntium, thoughts chased themselves through her mind.

She'd had an appointment that morning; she'd left even before Fiyero had woken up. She was going to miss family breakfast planted there on the balustrade but she wasn't particularly concerned. No one had any reason to believe she wasn't still in the medical wing with Healer Aristocra. And besides that she felt she had a reasonable excuse.

She hadn't been feeling well during the past few weeks, well no, that was a bit of an overstatement. She'd never really been sick, just nauseous after breakfast on most mornings. That, coupled with the fact that she'd missed her cycle twice now had inclined her to make the appointment in the first place. She hadn't talked to Fiyero yet; she'd wanted to make sure she was right first.

It hadn't taken Aristocra long at all to confirm her suspicion. She was indeed pregnant, by about two and a half months in fact.

Now all she had to do was inform her husband.

* * *

Elation. Nervousness. Hope. Maybe even fear. It was hard to put a name to what she was feeling, there were just too many emotions coursing through her at the moment. 

Glinda felt as if she were standing outside herself as she watched various handmaidens fix her dress until it was perfect. It was somehow astonishing to think that this day wasn't just the day she'd been planning for the last three months, but here whole life. Yet, there she was and in ten minutes her father would arrive to walk her down the aisle and she'd marry the man she truly loved.

She was uncharacteristically still and quiet as her veil was lowered gently over her head. Before she knew it she was ready and there was a knock at the door.

"Galinda darling, they're ready for you," her father's warm and familiar voice proclaimed as he poked his head in.

"All right Popsicle," Glinda smiled. "I'm ready."

Glinda accepted her bouquet of lilies from one of the handmaidens, stepped down from her stool and took her father's arm.

"Look at you," he said. "It's seems like just yesterday you were dressing up your dolls and holding balls and tea parties in the garden. Now you're running a country and getting married. Sometimes it's just hard to believe you're really all grown up."

If she didn't know any better she'd have said that her infallible father had tears in his eyes.

"But I suppose I have to let you go sometime," he continued, gathering his composure. "And you've obviously found your wings –or bubble as it were- and you deserve your chance to fly. I wanted to tell you I'm proud of you, before you're not really mine anymore. I love you."

"Oh Daddy," Glinda replied softly, now near tears herself. "You'll make my mascara run."

They both laughed at that.

"But you know I'll always be your little girl, I love you too," she finished.

"Well," her father said, "before we both end up re-flooding the city I think we ought to get you down the aisle hadn't we?"

"I think we should," she agreed, kissing his cheek as the flower covered gates of the palace swung open. The street in front of the palace had been turned into a sort of makeshift aisle, in the square an altar had been constructed, as it was the only place where all those who wanted to attend the wedding could gather to watch. Her wedding march began playing, and gracefully Glinda started down toward her future.

* * *

"Is this where you always disappear to?" Fiyero's laughing voice filled Elphaba's ears as he entered the library to find her seated once more before her crystal ball. Elphaba looked up to him, discreetly removing her hand from her abdomen as she did. 

It had been a whole day since she'd found out about the baby and she still hadn't told him. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous to do so, maybe it was because she wasn't sure what he'd say or think when she did. She generally liked to know what people were going to do before she presented them with something. Since she and Fiyero hadn't even been married half a year yet they hadn't really gotten around to talking about children, she had no idea how he felt about having them, or if he wanted them at all, especially this early in their life together.

But at the moment she pushed it back on her priorities list, as the events the orb depicted gave her a valid reason to do so.

"Shush, look," she gestured to the ball without looking up at him.

Fiyero moved behind her to get a good view and then he spoke again.

"Glinda's wedding?"

"Of course, the announcements have been in the papers for weeks, I couldn't miss it."

"What do you, tune in whenever you feel like it?"

"No," Elphaba retorted. "Just occasionally when it's important. Now hush."

When she turned back to the crystal image she expected him to leave but he pulled up a chair and sat down beside her.

"What?" He asked when he saw her strange look. "She was my friend too."

So Elphaba just took his hand and they settled back to watch.

* * *

The crowd stood up and faced the gates of the Palace when they swung open for the final time. Most of the wedding procession sere standing at the front, centered around the altar where Kris was waiting impatiently. Then a vision in white appeared, her dress nearly filled the aisle and Leif Upland occupied what little space was left. And then she was moving towards Kris, his breath caught in his throat as he realized this was the moment that would change his life forever. 

All at once she was there before him, her father was kissing her cheek and then she was all his. Kris absentmindedly lifted her veil back, but found himself once again completely focused and lost in her eyes. She flashed him a smile that sent his heart racing and butterflies to his stomach, and together they turned to the Judge who would be marrying them.

Sixteen stories above the square in the south tower stood an imposing figure. Lack of access to make-up revealed the shockingly soft lines of her face. Without the eccentric application of cosmetics, Malendrian Morrible looked human. In fact as she stood at her window watching the wedding procession below she looked more like the lady who played grandma for the whole neighborhood than a villain.

That is to say, she looked like that until her gaze followed the bride down the long aisle and her impassive expression molded into a disgusted sneer.

As Glinda the Good was given away to her soon-to-be husband, Morrible turned her attention inward, refocusing her emotions into power, and she began to whisper to the wind, coaxing clouds to gather and altering the paths of every jet stream to converge directly above the square of the Emerald City.

Slowly she opened her eyes to see the sky already begin to darken. She could practically feel the breeze change directions and cursed the confines of her prison for barring her from the real freedom of being outside. But it didn't matter, not really. Imagining she could escape and consumed with her newest victory she threw her hands wide to welcome the coming storm, tossed her head back and cackled.

"Then by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife," Judge Ewyn said. "You may kiss the bride."

The crowd roared as their beloved leaders' lips met for the first time as newlyweds. But their joy turned to fear when in a flash –literally- as lightning split the sky and thunder echoed their cheer. The Ozians were all skittish of storms, as the last one had brought such destruction on their homes. This time their fear was warranted as only a minute before it had been a mild fall day. And normal storms didn't come without warning in Oz.

Glinda and Kristian wrenched apart, both their eyes shooting straight upward to the ever darkening sky above them.

"Not _now_," Kris groaned.

Glinda didn't bother to even complain about it and was disengaged from his arms before he'd even finished the sentence. In the blink of an eye she'd confiscated Judge Ewyn's microphone and was snapping orders to the panicking crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen STOP." She said it with such force that everyone halted immediately as if under a spell. "You do not have time for a panic." Her voice resounded over the thunder and hushed crowd. "Will those in the west half of the crowd please proceed to your homes or the nearest building. Those in the east, please make your way to the Palace. Slowly! A little rain isn't going to hurt any of you."

As dubious as any of them might have felt about that they trusted her enough to do as she said. For a half a second she watched as the people herded in opposite directions in a halfway-organized manner. Then she conjured the bubble.

"Kris! Keep an eye on them; make sure we don't have a stampede to deal with too. Find Captain Stone and tell him to get his men readying the rafts and med-packs just in case. And for goodness sakes, stay safe."

"Where are you going?" He yelled after her as she climbed into the bubble, tugging her dress around herself.

"I don't know if I can stop this but I have to try!" Was her only reply.

"Wait! What about Morrible!"

But the comment didn't fall on any ears at all as she was already ten feet above him, heading to the uppermost turret of the Palace.

* * *

"Something's wrong," Elphaba said suddenly. 

"What they're kissing and we aren't," Fiyero quipped, throwing his wife an over exaggerated pout.

"No," She whispered in return, leaning forward to try and get a better view from the orb.

Hail rapped against the window not far from where they sat. It was forceful enough that the whole glass panel rattled in protest against the frozen water pelting against it and the wind beating at the frame.

"Wasn't it sunny just a moment ago?"

"It's happening again," Elphaba proclaimed. There was no fear in her voice, but the odd sort of half-panicked urgency to her tone worried Fiyero.

"What's happening again?" He asked, afraid that he already knew the answer.

"The storm system that caused the floods, the haywire enchantment, I'm not sure what all it is, I just know it's going to be bad."

She checked the ball again, and found what would have been a breathtaking view at any other time filling the glassy surface and realized Glinda was in her bubble heading toward the Palace. The image shook and shuddered against the winds, but by some miraculous twist of fate stayed on course and floated through a large hole in the window of a tower. A hole and window Elphaba knew very well as she'd been the one to first go flying through it.

Then the image changed as Glinda landed and the bubble popped, freeing her. She went straight to a floorboard under the window and hauled out the Grimmerie, fluttering through the pages as if she knew exactly what she was doing. Elphaba hoped to all that was good the blond woman had granted her wish and learned to read the ancient text.

"She's going to cast the spell," Elphaba realized, and that calmed her somehow, to know that Glinda at least knew enough and was confident enough in her skills to give it a shot.

"Can she work it?"

"I don't know but if she finds it, I can help her."

Elphaba and Fiyero watched with nerve-wracking anxiety as Glinda turned pages frantically. Finally she stopped, and seemed to stoop closer to the page, the strange words came into focus and Elphaba quickly read, reread and memorized them as Glinda did the same miles away in the Emerald City.

Finally both women were prepared to work some magic and the book was shut and forgotten on the floor as Glinda moved back to the window.

Elphaba and Fiyero stopped watching the crystal ball as Elphaba took off to the balcony, not bothering to stop at the window, but going straight out on the terrace. Fiyero stopped midway where he could see his wife and Glinda at the same time. As if they'd planned it and were only feet apart, instead of separated by a country, in unison they closed their eyes and began.

"_Qui viene la pioggia che cade ancora sulla mia testa_

_come una memoria che cade sulla mia testa _

_come una nuova emozione _

_che desidero camminare nel vento_

_aperto desidero comunicare come gli amanti io_

_desidero il tuffo nel vostro oceano _

_sono esso che piove con voi"_

The entire effect was frighteningly ominous and Fiyero watched as Elphaba flung her hands wide and the wind wrapped her in its chilly embrace, whipping her hair and dress about as she chanted over and over the words of the spell. He spared a glance towards the globe and saw Glinda mirroring Elphaba's every action. The wind was harsher on the tiny blonde however, freeing her hair to flay at her face, and billowing her huge dress out around her.

For a frighteningly long minute nothing happened. Elphaba and Glinda were both obviously exerting themselves beyond anything they'd ever attempted before. Stopping weather in its tracks was no simple task and the power they commanded was almost palpable even to Fiyero who was pathetically insensitive (or so his wife told him) in matters of magic.

He held his breath and at long last _something changed_. It could have been something as simple as a breeze or maybe a current of the storm had reverted but it compelled him to forget the magic glass in the library and venture out onto the terrace. He was careful not to disturb Elphaba who was still locked in concentration as she wrestled to push the magic forth. He watched her for a moment and then turned his attention to the tempest raging in the sky.

The clouds seemed to be locked in a war with themselves, first darkening to a threatening shade of purple and then growing lighter until they almost seemed to part and let the sun shine through, but then they'd darken again, continuing the tumultuous cycle. Lightning danced in waves across the sky but the thunder that would inevitably follow had lost its intimidating roar, instead it purred through the clouds. The wind would still, only to stir up again and the precipitation couldn't seem to decide whether it wanted to be rain, or hail or sleet.

* * *

Miles away Glinda stood on the windowsill of the high tower. The more courageous of the Ozians peeked out through windows and doors to watch as she worked her charm on even the weather. But Glinda was having more of a struggle than anyone was close enough to see. It was a challenge to simply stay balanced in her precarious position and her ability to stay focused and conscious was quickly depleting. 

_I never should have even tried,_ She thought, deep in the back of her mind as she chanted.

"_NO!"_ She could almost hear Elphaba, saying the words. "_Magic never works if you don't believe in it! And I can't do this without you."_

Of course the words must have been a memory. But Glinda redoubled her effort anyway, forcing every ounce of power she possessed into the spell, believing in it with all her heart if only because a voice from the past incited her to do so.

* * *

Elphaba could feel Glinda's hope diminishing, even from so far away. And part of her wondered if somehow they'd bonded in their conjuring, if the magic they were tossing into reality had forged a connection to them. But she didn't have time to wonder at it. 

"_No!" _She thought _at_ her friend, in a desperate attempt to push Glinda onward. "_Magic never works if you don't believe in it! And I can't do this without you."_

She realized then it was true, as powerful as she was, they were never going to beat this if they didn't fight it together.

_Believe Glinda!_

_

* * *

_  
A few stories below Glinda, facing the other side of the world Malendrian Morrible stood at the window. She wasn't in such a dissimilar position from the little fairy in the tower window, but her intentions were _vastly_ different. As soon as she'd felt the storm receding she'd realized something was going on and began to work against whatever enchantment Glinda thought she could use to stop her. 

But to Morrible's horrified dismay it wasn't working. The silly brat who'd very nearly failed ever sorcery seminar she'd ever taken –and would have failed if she hadn't had friends who could fly- was holding Morrible's own power at bay, and even staving it off.

It was impossible. Glinda, though she had her talents, had no claim to the abilities it took to reverse a Weather Workers charm.

Yet there they stood and Malendrian was becoming painfully aware of the fact that she was about to be beat at her own game and Glinda probably didn't even realize it.

"Curses," Morrible said darkly though Glinda couldn't hear her. "Well you may win this battle _darling_, but we'll see who wins the war."

And she wasn't going without a fight.

With tremendous effort she summoned and swirled every last vestige of her power and concentrated it into the storm. The effect would be painful for Morrible herself, but that wouldn't be anything compared to whatever Glinda and whoever in the damnable blazes was helping her felt.

And she let go of it, cutting herself off from the battle so she could brace against the backlash she knew was about to come.

* * *

Above Oz, with alarming speed the storm halted. The lightning disappeared, as if attached to a whip that was on its back run. The thunder followed it far away and as quickly as the storm had set in it dispersed. The clouds lightened into nothingness, and then even the wind was gone, leaving the gentle autumn breeze that had inhabited the day to begin with.

It was without consequence however. As if in a final furious protest, a surge of lightning blazed over the land. At least it looked like lightning, built up magic had to take some form, and it had to have somewhere to go, and it traveled best through conduits that were still connected to it.

* * *

Glinda opened her eyes and stopped her incantation in time to see the storm withdraw. She blinked though and the lightning was back. Her eyes widened as she realized that though she'd stopped reciting the spell, she hadn't let go of the currents of magic. And she was about to be an outlet for some very bad backlash.

About the same time as that realization hit her, so did the rogue magic itself, knocking her from her precarious perch. Luckily it was backwards, into the waiting arms of Kris, who had rushed up to the attic tower to see if there was anything he could do to help. Unluckily, the force of it was somewhere in the neighborhood of falling twenty stories anyway, so the effect on her physical health wasn't much better.

Kris gathered his petite wife into his arms and rushed down to a more inhabited level of the Palace, shouting frantically for a Healer as he went.

* * *

Elphaba never even knew what hit her. She'd held onto the connection for as long as she could, just to make sure the storm wouldn't reverberate. And as the real powerhouse of the escapade she was like a beacon to the rogue magic, her connection and force was the perfect conductor for it to return to its natural state.

She never saw the lightning-like wave, because she never opened her eyes. And she felt it too late.

"Elphaba!" Fiyero screamed, when he saw it. But his warning was futile, the magic was too strong and too swift, it blew into Elphaba with enough force to throw her backwards into the library, and she hit one of the low bookshelves roughly as she fell.

In an instant he was at her side, checking carefully to make sure she was alive. Her pulse was faint, and her breath came in wheezes that sounded like they hurt –she'd probably broken a few ribs on impact- but it least both were there. They could work with alive. Live people could heal.

He was afraid to move her, but when he saw blood beginning to seep through her dress he decided that back injuries were the least of his worries at the moment. He picked her up, as gently and quickly as he could, and tore out of the library, careful not to jostle her as they went, and headed straight for the medical wing. Not bothering to shout until he was close enough to be heard by someone who could help.

* * *

_1 Day Later_

Malendrian Morrible woke up a day later. Her old body was sore, and damaged but she'd live to fight again. She struggled off the floor to the mercifully soft bed and laid down to sleep off the sort of 'hangover' that heavy magic always gave her.

* * *

_7 Days later_

Glinda slowly became aware of the hazy noises around her as consciousness graced her with its presence for the first time in a week. As the noises became more coherent she forced her eyes open. Light attacked viciously, but after a week of staring at the back of her own eyelids it was almost welcome. At any rate, the blinding pain retreated quickly and Kris –a more welcome sight for sore eyes to be sure- was hovering above her with a nervously hopeful look on his face.

"Good morning starshine," he said lightly, though his eyes betrayed the fear he'd been nursing for days. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Kris," Glinda tried to say, but it came out as a rasp with vaguely consonant sounds.

"Shh, don't try and talk just yet," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her from trying to sit up. He produced a cup of water and pressed it against her lips. "Here sip just a little."

Her lips parted just enough to allow the blessedly cool liquid in and she swallowed as carefully as she could.

"Happy anniversary, by the way," Kris said in the same light tone that seemed to be tinted with relief. "We've been married a week now. Wasn't too painful was it?"

Glinda wanted to laugh, but the soreness of every muscle in her body prevented her from doing anything more than turning up the corners of her lips and letting her joy at being awake and with him shine through her eyes.

"The hard part's over now. You're going to be okay," he told her, as if he just finally believed it himself.

As her eyes closed again so she could give her body more time to heal she felt him press his lips tenderly against her forehead. It was comforting, and despite all of the pain she was in, she was suddenly very glad to be alive. After all, she had a very good reason to live. And that reason was currently stretching carefully out beside her.

* * *

_3 Weeks later_

The hospital wing of Iisen Lier was morbidly quiet. It was past midnight, but not by very much and the quarter moon cast a soft shadow to everything in the room. Only two were currently habited there, as the doctors and other family members had returned to their separate rooms for the night. One of the occupants lay flat on a bed in a partitioned corner of the room. The other sat in a chair keeping vigil over the first, and desperately praying to every god or goddess or power he'd ever heard of or had any inclination to believe in, to whomever or whatever would, to spare the one he loved.

The diagnosis hadn't been good to begin with. Three broken ribs, a punctured lung, massive internal bleeding and a concussion –as well as exhaustion- had taken a massive toll on Elphaba's body. The consequent miscarriage of their baby had only made matters worse. And the Healers didn't know if Elphaba would be _there_ when she woke up. If she ever woke up at all.

The actual miscarriage had been another blow to Fiyero as well. The first blow had come when the Head Healer had informed him of the possibility that the baby had far fewer chances of survival than its mother, and Fiyero hadn't even know what she was talking about. Aristocra had realized that he didn't know his wife was pregnant, and then had to explain that Elphaba had found out the day before the storm.

He'd wrestled with the facts for the better part of the next day. First he was shocked, that he'd helped Elphaba create a life. Then he was mad because apparently Glinda's wedding and then diffusing a damned _rainstorm_ had taken precedence to informing him of that little detail. But the anger hadn't lasted long, not when there was a chance that the child would never be born and its mother would never wake up. Then he'd only been scared to death that the last two possibilities might come true.

Eventually Aristocra had done everything she could to save the baby, but to no avail. The unborn child had been as badly hurt as Elphaba, and her injured body wasn't capable of keeping them both alive. Fiyero had broken down and cried like there would be no tomorrow that day. Nothing his family or the Healers had tried could calm him worked, he could only sob and sob, bury his head in Elphaba's pillow and beg that she wouldn't be taken from him too.

He hadn't slept much during the past three weeks since the . . . incident. He'd doze off for a few hours in the dead of night. But he'd always wake up, terrified, that the woman on the bed would either wake up or let go while he slept.

That night was no different. He'd fallen asleep sometime after his mother had finally gone to bed, but as the moon came into full view through the window at the far side of the room he started awake. His hand went to Elphaba's, and he listened for her rhythmic breathing before planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before he settle back into his chair. He wasn't afraid of touching her anymore. According to Healer Aristocra her cuts and scrapes and closed up, her lungs were back in working order and her ribs were nearly fully healed, as well as wounds that came with losing a baby. The only thing now was to wait for her to return to them.

He held her hand and his thumb traced absentminded circles on her small wrist. After an hour her soft, regular breathing had nearly put him back to sleep. That is until the even inhales and exhales hitched and he jolted closer, afraid that he might be losing her now after so much waiting.

To his boundless relief she wasn't in fact dying, but waking up. As her consciousness returned her breathing became stronger and he could feel her slight movement as she roused. Finally after three weeks of waiting for that very moment Elphaba Tiggular's eyes fluttered open.

"Hi," was all she said, as recognition –even in the darkness- flooded her features. The smile that traced her lips made him feel as if the past weeks had only been a dream and they were just waking up from it to face a new day.

"Elphaba." It was Fiyero's turn for his breath to hitch in his throat, as he choked on the emotion he was feeling.

"What happened, why are we here?" She asked, only just noticing they weren't in their room but the darkened hospital wing.

"How do you feel?" He asked, when he'd regained power over his voice.

"A little sore, but otherwise fine," Elphaba answered honestly.

"What do you remember?"

"What do you mean what do I remember? Fiyero what's wrong?"

"Do you remember the storm?"

"Storm? What are you talking about? You're starting to scare me. Tell me what I'm doing here."

"You don't remember Glinda's wedding or the storm or the spell at all?" He pressed, hoping he wasn't going to have to explain everything.

" Wedding? Storm? Wha-"

Her face dissolved from confusion to realization as her memory of what happened began to return to her.

She paled visibly under the moonlight and asked again, "What happened?"

"You stopped the storm, you and Glinda," he tried to explain. All the fear and sorrow he'd been carrying since the event tainted his voice. "It went away as quickly as it came and it was sunny and warm again. And then all the sudden the lightning was back, it hit you and knocked you clear back. You've been here ever since; it's been three weeks now, well twenty-three days if you want to be specific. I was afraid you weren't going to come back to me."

Sickening fear passed into her features as she processed the information. "What about- what about the baby?"

She remembered she hadn't told him yet. But if she'd been in the hospital that long someone, Aristocra most likely, would have told him.

His hand tightened on hers and sadness filled his features.

"We lost it," he told her. "I don't . . . I'm sorry."

"Lost it?" Elphaba's voice cracked. "You mean…Oh Lurline."

Her mouth hung open as if she couldn't breathe, and tears pooled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Fiyero said, pulling her into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Elphaba couldn't answer, the words she wanted to say wouldn't come. So she buried her head in Fiyero's chest and sobbed. Tears streamed down his own face as he whispered into her hair "I love you," over and over. The two sat the rest of the night, both reveling in the fact that Elphaba had pulled through but mourning that their child hadn't.

* * *

**Ok, as for notes: Just FYI the words to the spell Elphaba and Glinda cast are the lyrics from the first verse of Here Comes the Rain Again by the Eurythmics in Italian, in case anyone cares I don't own the song the people who own it do. And I know this was a sad chapter, but Elphaba and Fiyero and Glinda and the gang won't be happy again till I get reviews. So review, because it pains me so to torture them. Thanks much to Yero My Hero for her help with this chapter. TTFN.**


	12. Unexpected

**Ever After**

**Unexpected**

**Wow you guys (and gals :o) The feedback for the last chapter was overwhelming. I'm totally verklempt about it. Thank you all who reviewed so much and I'm dreadfully sorry about the slow update. I've been on vacation without Internet access but the next installment has finally arrived. Thanks again and read on!**

**_D_**_arkness seeped from every crevice, from every crack in the stone floor and from every shadow cast on the eerie gargoyles that were strewn "decorously" about the room. Not the kind of darkness that come from the absence of light, though there was that too, but the kind that reeks of evil. Glinda was somehow familiar with that darkness now though. It wasn't a reassuring kind of familiar, but it no longer terrified her either. The lightning flashing in the slit-windows was almost expected, but Glinda started anyway turning from the brilliant crash of thunder to catch sight of her companion._

_She wanted to call her name, but somehow knew better. Somehow she knew she needed to be quiet, so she stilled the questions in her mind and forced herself not to wonder how in Oz Elphaba had come to be beside her._

_The two walked in silence, first down the pitch-black corridor and then into another that was lit by a trail of red-hot coals. Glinda kept a close eye on Elphaba, partly to follow where she went, and partly to catch any instruction the other woman had. _

_At last they stopped before a pair of doors at the end of the long hall. Elphaba glanced back at Glinda, it wasn't a long look, and she said nothing, but somehow the blond knew the green girl was asking and nodded to imply that she was ready. _

_Together they hauled open the doors. Light spread from the room, the darkness retreated like a bat out of Hell, but the evilness of the entire place didn't go with it._

_Glinda caught sight of a woman, an old woman, sitting on the throne as she became aware of a hand gripping her own. And then Elphaba had her other hand, tugging her away from the light room and calling her name._

"_Glinda!" Elphaba's voice echoed. "Glinda!"_

A second later Elphaba was gone and the darkness was closing in on Glinda, she felt like she was being hunted, but there was a way for her to escape.

"No wait!" Glinda called desperately trying to get her friend to return and rescue her.

Glinda the Good shot straight upright in her bed, knocking covers and pillows askew.

"Glinda!" A voice from beside her called her name gently, reassuringly.

She looked around the dim room. Moonlight still lightened the hard shadows and fended off the darkness, but it wouldn't be long before the moon sank and the sun began to tint the room with its rays. Kris was sitting next to her, his hands went to her shoulders as she tried to catch her breath and recall the dream.

"Are you all right? His concern tinged his voice.

"N-no," she shuddered and practically leapt from the bed to run to the bathroom.

Kris followed as fast as he could, catching up just in time to pull her hair back while she ejected the contents of her stomach into the toilet. He was quiet and rubbed her back until she finished, at least until there was nothing left for her to heave up.

"So what woke you up, a dream or are you sick?" He said a little bit jokingly as he helped her clean up a bit.

"Maybe a little bit of both," she answered.

When she was ready he pulled her up off the floor and carried her back to bed.

"I'll talk to Aliira in an hour and have her cancel your appointments," he told her as he tucked her back beneath the covers. "Just sleep."

"Are you coming back to bed?" She mumbled half-consciously.

"Nah, I have to be up in twenty minutes anyway."

She didn't bother answering; instead she focused on closing her eyes to return to the blessed oblivion of sleep and ignoring the pangs in her stomach.

* * *

"Well My Lady, it would appear that you are finally fully healed," Healer Aristocra announce happily.

Elphaba looked up at the slightly taller woman and gave a small smile. It had only taken six months of therapy, and another two of not "over-exerting" herself.

"I would say you can return to active duty," Aristocra joked. "You know, dance as much as you want and travel where you will, you know, the works."

"Well that's probably good," Elphaba replied dryly, "As I have a ball to attend this evening, the most important all year, or so I'm told. And I'm booked in Red Windmill next week to be at the 'grand opening' of their new hospital."

"I wouldn't have thought they'd put another one up there, not after the last one got mowed over in the 'slides."

"_They_ don't have much of a choice, it's the nearest to Kumbricia's Pass so it's an essential. Not to mention the next town is four hours away by train."

"I suppose that's true, I just thought they'd convert Kiamo Ko instead of put up a whole new building. It's not like it's used much for its intended purpose anymore."

Elphaba shot the Healer a self-depreciating grin.

"That's what I thought too," she said. "But apparently even the Vinkuns have some superstitions about the place. And any Ozians they try to take there would throw a fit. It is after haunted by the ghost of The Witch after all."

"I see," Aristocra replied knowingly, but with a glint in her eye. "Somehow I think The Witch has found better things to do with her time."

"Much," Elphaba agreed. "In fact if I don't get going I'm going to be late tonight."

"Very well," Aristocra said. "I've enjoyed our time together Your Highness, but I can't say I'd like to see you in my office again. Unless it's under happier circumstances of course."

The tall woman moved in her languid way towards the door to allow Elphaba to change into her regular clothes.

"Wait," Elphaba said at the last second. She'd been debating with herself up to then over what she was about to say, but finally decided that it had to be done.

Aristocra turned back, concern lining her features.

"I'd like to continue the birth control," Elphaba said after a breath.

"But that was just to make sure you didn't conceive again until the rest of your body could handle it," the Healer replied. She wasn't protesting really, she just hadn't expected the request.

"I know," Elphaba said. "But don't want to take any chances of this happening again."

"So you're never going to get pregnant again?"

"Not until I know _that_," she said, referring to the magic backlash that they'd decided was the cause of her miscarriage, "will never happen again."

"Very well, finish through with what you have and come back. I'll either refill the prescription or we'll find something else."

"Something else?"

"The potion you're on right now isn't appropriate for long term use, unless you never want to have children that is. You'll need something else within the next couple months."

Elphaba didn't really see the problem, but she didn't say so. Once Aristocra had gone and she'd changed into normal clothes she left as well, heading for her room to get ready for the ball.

* * *

It was after noon by the time Glinda the Good felt well enough to venture from her chambers. Well, no, by noon she'd felt well enough to get up and get dressed. She didn't bother putting on one of her elaborate gowns; she did after all officially have the day off. Instead she found a skirt that covered her feet if she didn't have shoes on, and a flattering top. She'd pulled her hair back into a simple, but stylish bun and applied make up. By the time she'd finished with that she felt fine, it was as if the morning's sickness had all been a dream that was quickly fading.

Despite having the day off, she had no intention of staying cooped up in her chambers all day. So she made her way down to the kitchens, looking for brunch, her earlier bout of nausea long forgotten.

"Ah, My Lady, you look lovely as ever. We'd heard you weren't feeling well, is everything all right?" She heard as soon as she pushed through the swinging door that led to the kitchen.

"Yes Mork, I'm feeling quite well now, thank you," Glinda replied, remembering not to make the excuse that it was something she ate. Mork was Head Chef at the Palace, telling him such a thing would be offensive in the extreme. She supposed she shouldn't use the excuse to anyone for that matter, as she was certain that what she'd eaten had nothing to do with her problem. "But if I could get something light to be sure, I'd be very much obliged."

"Right away," Mork replied with a smile, immediately dropping whatever he'd been working on to attend to her wish.

"Now ya don't just stand there," Mork's wife, Calpurnia was nearly as old as he was and just as magnanimous, ushered her over to a seat at the table. "Would ya like some water while you wait?"

"No, thank you," Glinda replied as she settled into the wooden chair.

The kitchens, while among the finest Oz had to offer, were far less extravagant than the main dining room where Glinda most often ate, out of the necessity of dinner parties and meetings. She enjoyed coming there when she had a chance, Mork and Calpurnia were dear to her, and they reminded her of her father's parents. Once upon a time they'd slipped she, Kris and Fiyero midnight snacks when they stayed at the palace during the summer, Glinda had fond memories of sitting in this very kitchen with her two friends and the older cooks, talking well into the night, telling stories of home and school and generally avoiding real life.

"Now I don't mean to complain," Calpurnia began as she took the chair next to Glinda's. "I knows your busy with the rest of the country needing your attention an' all, but it's just been so long since we seen you. How's life treatin' ya these days?"

"It's busy," Glinda admitted.

"I imagine," Mork commented from where he stood behind the counter.

"Well no wonder ya aren't feeling well," Calpurnia said, more to herself than anyone else. "It's a wonder you haven't run yourself to exhaustion already, and in your condition."

"What do you mean?" Glinda asked, and Mork took a pause in his work.

Realization seemed to dawn on Calpurnia's face and she hastily made her recovery.

"Oh nothin', just that it's probably for the best that you take a break now and again is all. Sweet, young thing like you shouldn't be running yourself ragged like you are. And you can tell that husband of yours the very same," she told her. "You need someone to fuss over ya once in a while."

Glinda still looked slightly unsettled but didn't ask push it.

"Well why do you think she comes down to my kitchen?" Mork said as he came over with a plate of cheese toast and a glass of some kind of smoothie. "There you are My Lady, something light. It'll feel real good going down, and shouldn't cause you any trouble."

He handed a fork and Glinda tucked in, finding that whatever Mork had put in her drink it was wonderful, and the cheese toast was as superb as she'd ever had it.

"What would I do without you to fill my odd meal requests Mork?" she sighed when she was finished.

"Eat more regular I expect, it's not every professional Chef who will bring dinner at midnight and run a staff for Palace meals as well," Mork replied lightly.

"Probably," Glinda laughed. "I used to eat regularly you know, then a country landed on my plate."

"My point exactly," Calpurnia interjected.

"Well I hate to eat and run, but I ought to go find out what I can get done now that I'm feeling better."

"You'll do no such thing!" The aging woman protested with such fervor that Glinda didn't even attempt to move. "You'll take advantage of your day off, ya never know when you'll get another one."

"Yes, but I really ought to…"

"Go upstairs and have a nap. You'll need your rest if you're gonna keep the country from going to pieces."

"Oh, Cal leave the girl alone," Mork said, as he took Glinda's glass and plate. "She's done just fine without your nagging her whole life, somehow I think she'll manage without it."

Calpurnia looked less than pleased at his comments, but didn't say anything when Glinda got up to leave. She waited while the young ruler thanked Mork and then followed her from the kitchen to bid her own goodbye.

"I don't mean to nag, really I don't," she began once they were out of earshot of the kitchen and her husband. "I just don't want to see ya making yourself sick. That's the last thing you or Oz needs."

"Oh I know Calpurnia, and I won't I promise. There's just things that have to be done."

"Well promise me this then, if you don't feel fit for fiddlin' tomorrow ya go on and get yourself checked on healer, for me at least?"

An uncomfortable look resettled to Glinda's features but she promised anyway. If it would let the old woman rest easy then she supposed it was really the least she could do.

"Good girl," Calpurnia said, once she had Glinda's word on the matter. She hugged the young woman, and told her to "Come back to see us again real soon, and bring that sweetie of yours with."

After she'd made her farewells Glinda wandered off down the halls. She'd fully intended to make her way to Kris's office and take at least one of his meetings off his hands, but by the time she'd made it to the staircase Calpurnia's suggestion of a nap was the only thing she could think about. She found herself heading the opposite direction toward her chambers. She rationalized that she'd already had her schedule cleared; it wasn't exactly polite to keep swapping other people's plans so she felt like she had something productive to do.

As she walked passed windows and views she found her attention less on the vistas and more on Calpurnia's comments during her meal. Glinda might have been as blonde as it was possible to come, but she certainly wasn't stupid, she knew exactly but elderly lady had been insinuating: that she was pregnant.

It was possible of course, these things happened. It was just unexpected.

She wondered if that was the way her entire life would go, unexpectedly. She supposed it had followed a regular track until she'd met Elphaba, then her life had been turned upside down and inside out. And it had continue since she'd come and gone, with Glinda's elevation into the seat at the helm of Oz, and then Kris, and now this…this whatever it was.

Maybe checking with a Healer wasn't such a bad idea. It certainly wouldn't due to be jumping to conclusions, and the more the thought crept into her blissful blonde brain the more she wanted –no needed- to know for sure.

It should have been a relief to at least come to such a relatively simple decision, but worry still filled her features as she reached her bedroom and walked inside. She didn't pay much attention as she slipped out of her skirt and back into her pajama bottoms, nor as she padded automatically back to the bed which hadn't been made since she'd left. But a smile climbed to her eyes as she found a note on a piece of scratch paper lying on her pillow.

_Hey Sweetheart,_

I hope this means you're feeling better but I missed you.

_I'll be back in a few hours I guess I'll see you then and we can talk._

_Love you,_

_Kris_

The smile faded a little from her lips. "We can talk." What does that mean?

_We certainly need to,_ she thought. Children weren't exactly something they'd discussed, in hindsight they should have. If her suspicions were correct… She reminded herself not to assume anything.

"Calpurnia, the influence you have on me is horrendible," Glinda grumpily said to the still, room around her as she tucked the not into the drawer of her nightstand and crawled into bed. She knew the grandmotherly lady couldn't possibly hear her, but she felt slightly vindicated saying them anyway.

She decided she'd walk over to the hospital wing when she woke up and make an appointment. Then she'd talk to Kris when he got back. She tried to assure herself that it was really all she could at that point. It either worked or she was more exhausted than she thought because clock-tiks later she fell into a (blessedly) dreamless sleep.

-G--G-

Hours later she woke up, it was nearing suppertime by then. She kept her promise to herself and made the trip back to the hospital wing to make her appointment, and had Aliira clear another hour off her schedule for the next day without saying why. Then she told the younger woman to take the rest of the night off and headed back to her chambers.

By the time she'd returned it was suppertime and Kris hadn't come back to the residency. His own aide came by to tell her that her husband had been delayed by a last minute meeting and wouldn't be back until much later than he'd planned and to eat without him.

So Glinda had gone down to eat in the kitchens again, but avoided Calpurnia's wise looks and dodged Mork's more subtle, gentle prying. She left quickly again, thanking them both for the meal and promising again to come down more often. After she'd politely walked from the kitchens she took a back staircase and practically ran to her room, hoping her husband would have returned by the time she arrived. The two nearly bowled into one another as she entered their bedroom and he exited.

"Whoa! Hi," Kris said with a smile as he caught her around the waist to stop her from falling.

Glinda grinned.

"Hi yourself," she replied. She slipped from his grasp but took his hand to tug them back into their room. Once they were out of the hallway and had a better sense of privacy he slid his arms around her again and kissed her intently.

"Hhmm hi," she giggled, when he let her come up for air.

"I guess you are feeling better then," he smirked.

"I do actually," she replied honestly. "Maybe it was nerves from the dream."

"Must have been. Did you get my note?"

"Yes," she grinned again. But her face grew serious as she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing really I guess," Kris replied smoothly. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright, I haven't seen you that sick since…"

He trailed off, but she knew what he meant. She hadn't been that sick since she'd been in the hospital after the storm on their wedding day.

"You ate already then?" He asked, changing the subject, which neither really cared to talk about because neither wanted to remember.

"Yes, I imagine I have dragon-breath from Calpurnia's hot sauce."

"I don't mind."

"Did you eat?" Glinda went on, ignoring his comment.

"Enough, it's too late for anything else anyway."

"Are you sure, I could go down with you."

"No, some of us like to eat at normal hours and not work till midnight expecting to be able to beg someone to cook for us at two in the morning when we're hungry."

"I do not do that!"

Kris just shot her a look.

"Usually," she added.

"Right," he said. "What did you do all day, playing hooky without me?"

"Slept mostly," Glinda admitted.

"Hah, my favorite pastime."

"It's not, you only sleep as long as you have to."

"That's not entirely my fault," he said with another of his smirks.

"No, I suppose not," Glinda, said, kissing his chin because that was all she could reach when he didn't bend down. "Well if you're not gonna eat let's go to bed I'm tired."

"Tired? You said you slept all day," he protested.

"I know, but I didn't sleep well last night if you'll remember."

He didn't say anything but followed her into the bathroom to change. She eyed him in the mirror as she brushed her teeth, debating over the wisdom of having a talk that night. Well she was just rationalizing really, but for once reason won out and she decided to just do it, she'd have to eventually anyway.

"Have you ever thought about having children?" She asked suddenly, examining her now clean toothbrush as if it were the latest accessory she really wanted.

Kristian nearly choked on his toothpaste.

"What?" He yelped, when he'd recovered enough to think.

"Have you ever contemplated children," she repeated slowly, spacing her words out as if she were talking to a four-year-old instead of a grown man.

"Not really," he said, confusion and something else she couldn't quite pinpoint –panic?- lining his face and coloring his tone. "What brought that on?"

"Calpurnia being silly," Glinda answered. "But really though, she made me realize we hadn't really talked about it and I thought maybe it would be a good idea to broach the subject."

"Why? We haven't been married that long and aside from that we're careful. I didn't think it'd be an issue for another year at least."

He wiped his face free of toothpaste and water and headed out of the bathroom, avoiding her eyes.

"But what if it was?" She pushed, following from the bathroom into the bedroom.

"Is it?" He spun to look at her finally, but with alarm.

"No," Glinda said without missing a beat, if he was going to be this way about it she certainly wasn't going to go there.

"Then I don't see the point in discussing it. When it's an issue we an worry about it."

"So you don't want them?"

"I didn't say that,"

"Would you just answer the question?" Glinda was tired enough already and beginning to get fed up by his curtness. The conversation had turned out far worse than she'd expected and she didn't want to play games anymore.

They rarely disagreed, they rarely had to, but on the occasion that they did it followed a similar pattern. Kris would talk in circles; his answers would be vague and snappy. Glinda would push until they both were so defensive they couldn't talk about anything.

"Then no," he said finally, sensing if he didn't straighten up soon they wouldn't be speaking again for a while. That didn't mean he had to like it. "No I don't."

"Fine," Glinda said, masking the fear and disappointment she knew would creep into her eyes. All the while thinking that they were both in trouble. Calpurnia was rarely wrong when her intuition kicked in, and the more Glinda thought about the possibility that she was pregnant the more she likely she thought it was.

She climbed into bed without another word, looking everywhere but at Kris. She knew if she did he'd see the panic in her expression and then things would get really bad. Especially since tears were already pooling in her eyes.

_Get a grip, Glinda_, she told herself. _Let it lie and go to the Healer tomorrow. With any luck she'll tell you you're getting all worked up over nothing. A little nausea and one missed cycle does not automatically constitute a baby so listen to Kris and deal with it when you're both ready._

At the moment the things she told herself felt hollow however, and that wasn't helping the state of her emotions.

She felt Kris climb into bed next to her and roll over to face her back, she didn't bother turning, she still didn't want to.

"Look, I'm not saying I don't want them _ever_," he began somewhat apologetically; hiding the nervousness he was feeling. " I just think we're in too… tenuous a position for them right now. I mean, hell, we've only been in charge for a year, and we haven't even been married that long. It's way too early to even start thinking about that."

Glinda didn't say anything, she couldn't. Her hand went to her flat stomach despite her attempts to control it. An opalescent tear rolled out the corner of her eye and she was glad her back was to Kris so he couldn't.

_What if they didn't have a choice anymore?_

**Reviews please, this not-very-happy streak I'm on will end soon but I need some encouragement. If you're good I'll have part two of this up by Thursday. And as always thanks to Yero My Hero, who was my hero and helped me get this the way I wanted. :D**


	13. Unexpected Part II

**Ever After**

**Unexpected Part II**

**Thanks to those who reviewed, I appreciate them all! And thanks (again) to Yero My Hero, who helped write part of this chapter and for all her great feedback to my crazy ideas. Happy reading!**

Fairy lights twinkled all around the Grand Ballroom in Iisen Lier. Delegates, noble's, peoples of general importance and some lucky citizens of the Vinkus milled about, filling the titanic room to the gills. Some danced, some talked in groups, some brooded near the walls, and somehow the orchestra managed to play over it all.

Fiyero stood near the punchbowl on the western wall near the doors that led to the veranda. He hadn't actually had much of the punch, someone –probably Kylan or Jeron- had spiked it with Fire Whisky, the result was somewhat less than tasteful. Which was a shame, because he could have used a little buzz at the time. Normally he didn't mind these sorts of things; in fact he very much enjoyed the dancing aspect. Unfortunately his partner was currently missing in action. She was probably chatting with some bureaucrat or another, Elphaba usually got roped into lengthy conversations with pompous idiots who thought she had nothing better to do with her time than listen to them drone on and on.

He glanced at the enormous clock on the opposite side of the room and noted that it was twenty-five minutes to midnight. He hadn't seen his wife since the opening dance; if he didn't find her soon they the ball would be over and they wouldn't get to dance again. He figured no matter whom had her attention their time was quite up, and set out to find her.

Finally, ten minutes later, he spotted her standing on the staircase. Her periwinkle ball gown shimmered in the light of the chandelier. The diamonds in her tiara sparkled brilliantly…

Fiyero caught himself getting sappy and started to pick his way through the sea of people to wards Elphaba. He was harder to spot in the crowds, only a simple silver circlet set him apart from any other of the men in the room, but by the time he reached the foot of the stairs Elphaba had seen him and begun making her way down.

"Been enjoying yourself?" He asked as he caught her hand and began to lead her slowly in the general direction of the dance floor.

"Enjoying isn't precisely the word I would pick," Elphaba replied tightly. But her smile never left her face; his mother's Queen Lessons had been paying off. Elphaba looked like she'd been born into this world of superfluously fancy parties, and the societal politics of entering a room full of people flaunting their good fortune.

"Sir Reginald, the Duke of Chutney could talk the ears right off any person –even Glinda," she continued.

"So that's where you've been. I wondered who could possibly have held your attention all evening."

"And you couldn't come rescue me?"

"Not when I was trying to politely escape Sir Reginald's mother."

"I see, the over-chatting is hereditary then," Elphaba replied, though how she kept her face straight Fiyero didn't know.

"Worse, I'm afraid it's contagious," he said, fighting an inappropriate laugh. "According to Madame Reginald her son's wife has had symptoms for some time and is now 'far too boisterous and opinionated' for her liking."

"We're lucky to have escaped," Elphaba said with mock-severity.

"And relatively unscathed at that," he agreed finally succumbing to a chuckle.

"I win," Elphaba announced with glee.

It had become their game. They were both required by duty to talk with every obnoxious guest who wanted their attention so they allowed themselves to indulge a little afterwards, poking fun at their 'entertainers' until one's stoic façade cracked.

"I'll get you next time," Fiyero promised as he pulled her into his arms on the dance floor. "It's a good thing you came down when you did, we wouldn't have gotten to dance."

"The shame," Elphaba replied dryly.

"Oh you know you like it," Fiyero replied as he led her through a complicated spin. "And you've gotten quite good."

"Blame it on my teacher."

"I hear he's the best in Oz or out."

"Oh yes, and he's terribly humble too."

"When's Aristocra gonna grant me some reprieve?"

"Didn't I tell you? She lifted my curfew, my coach no longer turns into a pumpkin at midnight."

"Free at last, huh?" He said with a grin. "Well what did she say about the b-

"Not right now," Elphaba cut him off.

He nodded, understanding, but he was a little disappointed. He hated waiting for important things, and he seemed to be doing all too much of it lately. Waiting for Elphaba to be completely healed, waiting for her to return to her normal self.

They were still working on that second one; she just didn't have that same spark of passion for…for _everything_ that she'd had before she'd lost the baby. He'd thought that by now –six months later- everything would be as it was before and her vibrancy would return. It hadn't been so; Elphaba wasn't submissive or dull now by any means. But she didn't care quite so strongly as she had, it was as if a part of her had died with their baby –he supposed that made sense, but he wished he knew how to help her more.

"Alright," he finally agreed, deciding finally that a ballroom really wasn't the place to be discussing such personal matters anyway. "Then since we now officially have the time, consider your dance card full Cinderelphaba."

"Only for you Prince Charming," She shot back.

So they danced, well past midnight and until the end of the ball, at which point they moved to the gardens and moved to a tune only the two of them could hear. The complex steps of waltz's and Oz Trots were forgotten and abandoned for the hug and sway after that, and soon the lights just inside the palace were turned out but neither seemed to notice they just kept on dancing.

* * *

Glinda shuddered at the chill as she padded from the bathroom back to the warm covers of her bed. Despite the fact that it was midsummer her chambers always seemed to be the coldest place in the castle at night. She'd been up from dreams again, although this time more pleasant that the last, she had awakened from the need to lose the contents of her stomach at least.

She'd dreamt of Elphaba again, as she so often had since the other woman had taken leave of her life. But they weren't awful concoctions of what would never be, not really. She supposed they had been a cross of memories and hopes of what might have been. She'd seen herself, talking to Elphaba in the palace, not about anything in particular, just things, as they had so often in a darkened dorm room at Shiz University. She'd seen Fiyero too.

She pushed the dreams back from her thoughts however; as she snuggled back beneath the covers and caught herself wishing they could possibly come true. Wishing was a dangerous thing she knew. It was nice enough to think about, but wounding in the end. For some, if not most, wishes never came true, and in the long one it was better to never have wished in the first place. She was only setting herself up for disappointment.

Glinda lay awake for a long time after that, staring up at the canopy of the bed. It was no longer pink of course; she hadn't put Kris through that. Instead it was deep crimson, something slightly less feminine but still elegant enough for her fashion sense. She couldn't see gold stitching in the light, but she could picture it in her minds eye and her gaze weaved patterns across the dark fabric where she thought they ought to be.

Normally she would have fallen asleep after only moments of contemplating her upholstery, but that night was different. Her mind seemed to want to be awake. She supposed that's what she got for sleeping in so late and then having a long nap to boot.

She tossed and turned trying to get comfortable. She'd often done the same at nights during her schooldays. There had been a time when instead of trying to fall back to sleep she'd woken her roomie up for one of their (all to frequent, or so Elphaba claimed) late-night chats. She seriously considered waking Kris up, just so she had someone to be awake with. She didn't want to fight with him anymore, at that point the earlier argument and hard feelings seemed silly and unnecessary and she wanted to tell him so. She didn't know how he was sleeping through the noise she was making or the racket created by the gale rattling the doors and windows from outside.

Wait, gale?

Glinda's heart began to thud in her chest. The night had been silent just a few minutes before; she'd only just noticed the wind.

_Please, not again._ She thought desperately.

She shook Kris, hard.

"What?" He asked groggily as consciousness hit him. "Glinda? What's going on?"

"Shh, listen."

"What?" He demanded again only a second later.

"Just _listen_," she insisted.

He listened, the frantic drum beat of the windows shaking pounded in his brain and he nearly jumped a foot when the first flash of lightning shattered the darkness in the room

"Oh sh-

He looked at her with panicked eyes, as if he'd forgotten something important and only just remembered. Glinda shared the glance for a second, all thoughts of dreams and arguments forgotten for the present and she rolled from the covers crossing to the big glass doors across the room, half hoping that it could possibly, for once, be a normal summer storm but knowing she'd find something horrific out her window when she got there.

She was right.

"Glinda GET DOWN!" Kris yelled from behind her.

* * *

Elphaba stiffened in Fiyero's arms. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and had no idea as to why.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked. The tension coming from her was almost tangible, but he didn't have any clue what was going on.

"I don't know, we were just…and then now…" she trailed off as she tried to find the source of her sudden unease. Terror wasn't something she was a stranger too unfortunately and she knew it well when she felt it. But as an iron grip closed in around her heart, which had sunk to her stomach, so did confusion.

There was nothing to fear here she knew. She was safe at Iisen Lier, safe in Fiyero's arms. There were guards and spells on the palace protecting them both from any kind of harm imaginable. And the sky, which she checked out of habit, was clear, stars shone brightly over their heads as the full moon made its trip across the expanse.

"Are you alright?" Fiyero asked.

"Yes," she finally decided. But the uneasy feeling didn't go away.

"Maybe we ought to call it a night," He suggested, as he looked worriedly at her. She wasn't really paying attention; she was glancing around trying to find the source of the awful fear coursing through her. "Just because you don't have medical curfew anymore doesn't mean we should push our luck."

"Yeah," she agreed absently. She let him lead her back into the palace and towards their bedroom. Still not paying attention to anything but figuring out what was wrong.

As they passed the library she stopped suddenly.

"Wait," she said. Focusing finally on Fiyero and reality instead of her inner turmoil. "I just want to check."

He nodded, understanding what she wanted to do, and followed her into the library and to the tower where the orb sat, vacant of anything but dark haze.

Elphaba waved a hand over it, as she was so used to doing, and said Glinda's name. The orb sprang to life, becoming light with energy and the dark haze swirled and changed colors, but nothing beyond that happened. No image expanded through the magic smog inside the glass, no sound emitted.

Elphaba tried again, this time saying "Glinda!" with more force. But the ball remained empty.

"She took it off," Elphaba murmured. "She took the necklace off."

It had happened before. Glinda couldn't be expected to where the necklace _all_ the time. And the orb had failed to find her without the aid of the charm. It just hadn't ever happened so inconveniently.

"What's going on?" Fiyero asked from behind her. He still didn't know about how Elphaba had been able to keep an eye on her friend. And Elphaba didn't feel this was the time to be telling him.

"Nothing," she replied. "I hope. It just can't find her."

"What does that mean?"

"That the connection's not strong enough, the orb's magic can't find a link to her."

"Has that happened before?"

"Oh sure, a couple of times."

"Just not when you had alarm bells going off in your head?" He said empathetically.

"Yeah."

"It's probably nothing, at least not to do with Glinda anyway," Elphaba said. But she was trying to convince herself more than him. "Lets go to bed, maybe I'm just tired."

It seemed like an excuse, even to her, but there wasn't really much else she could do. Without the Grimmerie or the charm the orb couldn't be forced to show her Glinda. So Elphaba could only wait to find out what was going on.

She didn't like it.

* * *

Glinda's eyes grew wide as they met the site outside, and she froze. Strong arms enveloped her, pulling her back from the glass just as it shattered inward. She felt Kris cover her as the shards dropped like jagged daggers around them as the wind forced it's way inside.

Outside was not the drowning rain she'd come to expect, but a cyclone. It was bigger, even, than the one that had dropped a house on Nessarose Thropp over a year ago. She'd seen the buildings around the Palace and the square relatively untouched as the tornado waver back and forth swirling and howling with all it's power and might, daring her to try stopping it.

As Kris and Glinda stood, though gale force winds were now thrashing into their bedroom, they could see it hovering as if waiting for something specific to happen and Glinda had the feeling that a bizarre and unexpected twister of fate was about to alter her life as she knew it.

The thought to run from the room, into the hall where there were no windows lined the walls, crossed her mind but she stood, riveted to the spot, entranced by the swirling of wind and debris and dirt and clouds and storm melded into one huge representation of nature.

And then with one final gust it stopped. No, not stopped. Outside she could see the twister spinning as if in slow motion and the storm clouds and lightning and thunder waiting to strike down. But the air in the room was still and silent as a figure in green appeared, as if by magic, on the balcony. The tall, broad, silhouette strode calmly toward Glinda and Kris as if behind it was a sunny spring day rather than a raging sheet of terror.

And then Glinda realized as the figure took shape, that the two weren't terribly different in her opinion. For a person for Madame Morrible harnessing the weather was no different than turning a light on or off.

"Well this is lovely," Morrible rasped, her unused and abused vocal chords straining to remember the pattern for normal talking. "The happy couple, ruling over their little country. It's exactly like a fairytale."

Kris stepped in front of Glinda as if to protect her. Though how he was going to fight off their antagonist he had no idea.

"I'm afraid you were right Glinda dear," Morrible continued in the same horrible tone. "I don't fare well in captivity. Prison just doesn't suit me I must have my shoes and freedom and such. It was nice of you to try though."

Glinda swallowed, suddenly understanding everything, and realizing that her first mistake had been underestimating her former mentor. The second had been trusting the woman and the confines that held her.

"I'd love to stay and chat you know, but my coach," the maniacal woman gestured widely to the blackness outside," awaits. I just came to bid my farewells I've had such a _lovely_ time."

She stepped back just a bit, and Glinda wanted to rush forward and stop her. She couldn't let this woman be free to unleash her might on Oz. But she couldn't, a hand stopped her as Kris stepped forward himself.

Morrible turned back towards the ruling couple.

"Oh, I suppose a coach needs insurance though. Wouldn't want to be driving without it, no telling what could happen and who could wreck such a brilliantly commandeered exit."

Time outside the room sped up, the twister was no longer writhing in slow motion but with full speed and a fierce roar. Glinda heard the crash of lightning striking and the thunders echo. And she watched in terror as it grew close and Morrible, who was on the balcony by then, was swallowed up by it. Slow motion seemed to return then, as the moment began to engrain itself on Glinda's mind.

Kris was ripped off his feet by some unseen force. He was only step in front of her and she felt the air rush to fill the vacuum created when he suddenly wasn't there anymore. She screamed something, but wasn't sure what. He only looked at her. Even in the dark of the night and shadow of the storm she could see his piercing stare. It made her pause for a moment as something in her realized he wasn't afraid. Which was ridiculous he was getting eaten alive by the squall. But his gaze was steady and almost reassuring.

Glinda gathered her senses a little too late as the twister began a backward spin and retreated the way it had come. She ran to the balcony, not caring about the glass on the carpet tearing at her feet, or the rain that had filled the sky outside. She screamed again, this time very aware that she was screaming her husband's name. She called out to nothing. Morrible, Kris, and that damned twister of fate were gone. Disappeared into the bleary sky and gone to Lurlina-knew-where.

Some would have called the good sorceress' cry haunting. The more poetic might call it the sound of hope being extinguished for good. But to a wise ear it was neither, it was the sound of destiny being altered, the twist of fate being echoed by one who didn't quite understand what was really happening.

At last as Glinda's cries dwindled to heart wrenching sobs, someone had the perception to come to Glinda's room to find out where the Good Witch was in the midst of the crisis. Moments later Aliira, but Captain Stone, Mork and Calpurnia as well as a Healer were in the room. Glinda didn't respond to any of them however. Her gaze was steady and far off though tears continued to make their way down her cheeks.

"She's in shock," the Healer said. "Let's get her to the medical wing."

Commander Stone had to leave to look at the damage from the storm and from Morrible's escape. So Mork was left to help the Healer lift Glinda to a stretcher and take her to the wing, though Calpurnia and Aliira followed with worried eyes and solemn faces.

At one point on the journey Glinda's awake, but absent, eyes closed as she succumbed to her shock and exhaustion. The four caring for her continued their vigil for the rest of the night in the hospital wing, resigning to the fact that it was all they could do for this tiny woman who they'd all somehow come to love like a family member.

* * *

"Was that really necessary?" Kristian Marvel asked as he was dropped rather unceremoniously to the floor of –where was he anyway?

"Yes, I believe it was," Madame Morrible pronounced as she touched down lightly before him. She was happy with the relative ease and high success of her escape and so was not terribly worried about the state of her companion. "Those theatrics will pay off eventually. We'll have the Ozians eating out of our hands by the time we finish this."

"No, I meant dropping me to the floor like that," he said as he dusted himself off, trying to look like he wasn't unsettled. In truth he'd forgotten that Morrible was commencing part two of her plan that day, so he'd been surprised as Glinda and the rest of Oz by it. But he couldn't let her know that.

"Yes, that too," Morrible hissed. "You couldn't even manage to find out where your darling _wife_ has hidden the Grimmerie and you expect me to be merciful."

"I tried," he insisted.

"Try harder," Morrible finished curtly. Then stomped off, leaving him to find his own way to his rooms, thinking that he was coming out on the short end of the bargain he'd made with her.

All his life in Oz he'd been ready to succeed Oscar in Wizardship. Then Glinda had swiped it away like the little she-devil he'd suspected she was when he'd first met her. Morrible had now provided a way to get back what was rightfully his. However, Kris believed it was beginning to look like it was more of a revenge scheme than anything else. As he picked his way through the cave-like catacombs of Morrible's lair he wondered if signing on with the woman had been the wisest of choices. But he couldn't very well go back now could he?

* * *

The next morning Glinda the Good was far more coherent. Her shock had almost completely worn off and she'd already told Captain Stone what had happened the previous night. In turn he'd reported that the damage from the storm to the City had been far more minimal than they might have hoped, and that Morrible's detention room was the only part of the castle that would need repairs. The citizens however, were terrified. She'd have to give a speech or four when she was up to it.

For the moment however she was confined to a bed to finish her lunch though eating was the last thing on her mind. Calpurnia had brought the tray up to her, and was waiting, patiently as could be, beside her until Glinda ate every stitch.

The older woman's shrewd gaze and insistent demeanor had cajoled the younger into eating a bit of it slowly. She was nearly halfway done when a Healer, a female by the name of Bess came into the cubicle reserved for Glinda. She was the same Healer that Glinda had been scheduled to see that day before the tornado struck.

"Madame," Bess addressed Calpurnia, " would you mind excusing us. We'll only be a moment."

Calpurnia looked as if that was the last thing she wanted to do but wasn't going to disobey the doctor outright, at least not in the presence of Glinda. So she made her way to get up and exit.

"No," Glinda stopped her. "I'd prefer she stay."

Glinda's strong blue eyes met Calpurnia's wise gray ones. Somehow conveyed in the glance was a silent plea for the grandmotherly woman to be Glinda's support for a moment and Calpurnia's gratitude at being chosen to do so.

Glinda had decided after Calpurnia had arrived that if the Healer came in with the results of the tests while she was there then she'd ask the woman to hear it with her. Whichever the answer was, Glinda didn't really care to hear it alone.

"All right then," Bess said. "I believe I have some good news."

Glinda braced herself, at that point those words could have meant anything but she doubted the answer was negative if the Healers were telling her it was good news.

"My Lady, you are indeed pregnant."

The young leader said nothing. Her breath caught in her throat, and tears threatened to fill her eyes and she shut them tightly to keep them from spilling over. She felt Calpurnia take her hand gently and vaguely heard her ask the doctor to wait a moment for the news to set in.

When Glinda finally dared to open her eyes Bess had left her in privacy for a bit, and Calpurnia was sitting next to her on the bed holding her tightly, though Glinda couldn't recall exactly when she'd broken down into the other woman's comforting arms.

"There now," Calpurnia crooned. "This is happy news, you'll see."

Glinda wasn't sure she believed her. She wanted to, but it was almost too much. She wondered how in Oz she was supposed to rescue her husband if she had another life, her child, to protect as well.

"I know Cal," she said when she trusted her voice enough to speak. "But what am I gonna do?"

She hadn't expected the woman to answer; she hadn't thought there was an answer. But Calpurnia wasn't one to hold back on whatever wisdom she had to share.

"You," she began. "Are going to take care of yourself. You've got enough problems to deal with without getting sick or losing a baby. You're not going to cease living either just because things don't seem particularly well right now. You are going to move forward, setting a 'good' example for the citizens of Oz who are looking to you to show them how to get out of this. You are going to search for your husband and for a way to stop Morrible. And when you're done with that you are going to live happily ever after."

Glinda stared at the wall behind Calpurnia's head. Her hand went to her belly on its own accord. It was a natural reaction she supposed, to want to protect her baby now that the latest crisis had presented itself for her to deal with. Calpurnia was right again of course, Glinda had no choice but to do exactly as she'd said. She had far too much to lose to be sinking into hopelessness and despair.

"All right then," Glinda finally said. But she was too exhausted from dealing with everything to do more than think about. So as Calpurnia continued to rock her and whisper-encouraging things Glinda found herself drifting off to sleep, her last coherent thought was to say "Thank you," to the woman before blessedly dreamless oblivion took her.

* * *

An incessant ringing woke Elphaba from her restless sleep. Her long green fingers reached out to slap the alarm off. She cracked a tired eye open to check the time on the clock face. Apparently without meaning to she and Fiyero had set it to wake them up at the normal time, so they could get ready for family breakfast, though they'd intended to skip it after the ball the night before.

Unfortunately after she finally got the bells to stop she rolled over and found she couldn't go back to sleep, though she hadn't gotten much more than five hours of rest the night before. She was too wired. So instead she turned and shook Fiyero awake.

"Come on, get up, and let's go down to breakfast."

"I thought we were playing hooky today," Fiyero mumbled groggily as he squinted against the light invading their bedroom window.

"I know, but I can't sleep so we're going down."

"No," he groaned. "Come back to bed."

"No, come on your mom is going to wait for us anyway we might as well get down there on time."

Fiyero suspected that this had less to do with his mother delaying the meal a few minutes to give them time to come down if they were going to and more to do with the fact Elphaba just secretly enjoyed the family breakfast tradition and more so than that being included in it. But he wasn't complaining and who was he to resist those beautiful, loving eyes.

"All right, I'm up, I'm up."

"Good," Elphaba kissed him soundly before retreating to use the bathroom first.

She felt a lot calmer than she had the night before, but something still wasn't quite right. She still couldn't place it though. As far as she knew the day would be like any other, she only had meetings with Gwyn from noon until three, and then she'd probably join Fiyero and his siblings for a ride in the woods behind the castle as they often did when time allowed.

Nothing was wrong and yet the more she tried to convince herself of that the more she felt that something _was_ wrong.

"Are you done in here?" Fiyero said, poking his head in through the door.

Elphaba realized she'd been braiding and unbraiding and re-braiding her hair for almost fifteen minutes.

"Yeah, hang on," she said, grabbing a strip of black leather to tie the braid off and let her husband have the bathroom.

Almost an hour later the two ventured from their quarters down to the main dining hall where the Tiggular's were all waiting patiently for the first meal of the day.

"Elphaba, Fiyero, glad you could join us," Tiernan said over his cup of coffee.

The maid brought the two their own mugs of steaming caffeine and each the morning papers they preferred to read while waiting on the food. Fiyero took the _Loryntium Legion_ from the maid's hands and sipped his coffee as he examined the first page, while Elphaba pulled her copy of the same as well as the _Emerald_ _Examiner_ from the maid. She scanned the contents of the _Legion _quickly before turning to the _Examiner_ and her coffee mug froze on its way to her lips as she saw the headlines.

'Betrayal' in large bold, green letters was centered across the top of the page and in the middle were several pictures of damaged emerald buildings and debris covering the streets below them. Elphaba's heart wrenched as she realized that she might have found the source of her fear the night before. She set her coffee down as she perused the relevant article. And finally, as her eyes caught the last few words she lay the paper flat on the table and excused herself quickly, rushing out the door as fast as she could politely go.

Fiyero looked bewildered at the retreating form of his wife until he couldn't see her anymore because the door swung shut.

"Is everything alright?" His mother's voice echoed in his ears from the opposite end of the table.

Fiyero shrugged and looked at the paper Elphaba had left behind. As soon as he saw the headline and caught the words 'storm,' 'Morrible,' 'escape,' 'abduct,' 'Glinda,' and 'hospital,' he knew exactly where his wife had gone.

"No, I don't think so," he said, and then ran after Elphaba.

She wasn't in the library as he'd expected, checking the orb to see if Glinda was okay. Apparently she'd wasted no time checking, and had gone straight to their bedroom to pack.

"What are you doing?" He demanded as he entered their room and saw her already shoving things into a bag. Her broom was on the floor and if he weren't so preoccupied with the fact that she was leaving he would have wondered how she'd gotten it.

She turned on him, but didn't stop her work.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Elphaba you can't just go."

"Can't I? This is exactly why I didn't want to leave Glinda alone, this is exactly why I check on her obsessively Fiyero. My worst nightmare just came true and your standing there like I've lost my marbles!"

"The thought crossed my mind," he retorted.

"Look, I don't expect you to come with me. I don't want you to you're safer here. But I _have_ to go," she said as she crossed to the bathroom and the closet and pulled out a black outfit he hadn't seen before and a cloak that he had.

"No, you don't," he said, taking her hand before she could pull the cloak on. "You _can't_. You can't run off at the first little sign of trouble. As soon as you get back to Oz someone, other than Glinda, will know you're alive and that will destroy everything that we've managed to build for ourselves here!"

"This is _not_ the first little sign of trouble and you know it!" She hissed, wrenching her hand from his grip. "There have been signs for months! We just didn't understand what they meant. Or had you forgotten the storms?"

"No I haven't forgotten. I haven't forgotten that the last time you rushed to help Glinda and be the hero you nearly got yourself killed!" He didn't mention the baby he didn't need to.

Elphaba glared fire at him and she gestured wildly to illustrate her point as she made it.

"I cannot leave her to deal with this on her own Fiyero. This is the mess I left her with and I can't just sit her in our little safe haven doing _nothing_ while Morrible rips her to pieces!"

"That's exactly why you can't go back!" Fiyero insisted. "If you go back Morrible will know, and then everyone will be against you all over again. At least Glinda has the support of Oz right now, if you go back she'll lose that, and you won't have had it to begin with."

Elphaba opened her mouth to argue and then realized he had a point.

"But it's _Glinda_."

"I know," he said sympathetically. "But sometimes you have to sit a battle out to win the war."

"That's not entirely comforting."

"Until we know what Morrible's up to and where she is we can't help Glinda, she's better off without us."

"Oh, and when Morrible suddenly shows up again at the Palace? What then, we'll know where she is then but Glinda won't be any better off. She's been _hospitalized_ Fiyero!"

"I know that too. But drawing attention to Glinda isn't going to help her any either."

Elphaba's eyes conceded her defeat, but she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"We'll go to her when she needs us, I promise. You just have to wait."

"Okay," Elphaba agreed, realizing she didn't have much of a choice, his argument was perfect.

She dropped the cloak to the floor with a sigh and walked out of the room to their small balcony. Silently turning her back to him.

Fiyero followed her, though he knew she probably didn't really want him to, he didn't think she'd mind once he did. Slowly, in case her temper hadn't quite returned to normal levels again, he wrapped his arms around her.

"And this is not your fault," he insisted softly, remembering the words she said only seconds before. "This is the Wizard's mess, not yours."

Elphaba turned in his arms and laid her head on his chest, grateful for the fact that he was so forgiving and willing to be her support even when she flew off the handle.

She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't believe him, but saying so would only lead to another argument. So instead she was silent, and she closed her eyes, pushing thoughts of whatever awful things were possibly in store for them away to concentrate on the steady, comforting sound of his heartbeat.

**Okay folks, the promised update is slightly late but here. The next chapter is the one you all, well most of you anyway, have been waiting for. So review, so I can post it ASAP. Thanks for reading!**


	14. New Arrivals Part I

**Ever After**

**New Arrivals Part I**

**Wow, this has taken forever, but this next part is ridiculously long (just ask Yero My Hero). So this is part one, and part two will be up…in a little bit, I still have to proof read. Thanks to all who reviewed, you guys make my life!  
**

As twilight descended on the Madeleines a lone presence wandered through canyons and crevices at a determined pace. An emerald cloak and a jeweled sword appeared to be his only defenses against the onset of night and would-be predators. Thus far he'd needed neither, but he was wary of his surroundings as he came to the end of the ravine he was hiking. A sheer sandstone wall sat before him, blocking any further travel in the direction he headed, except for the narrow gap in the rock to his right. Without hesitation the cloaked man slipped the through the crevice, hanging onto his sword calmly as he was ripped off his feet as if by a huge vacuum in the tiny cave.

When he came out the other side he found himself in the more comfortable surroundings of a castle. Not a soul was in the foyer to greet him, but he hadn't expected there to be, so he wasn't disappointed. Though it was dark in the room he easily picked his way to a staircase and made his way up. Two hundred and twenty-one steps later he turned sharply to his right and went through another hidden door and into a large circular room.

"Ah, Prime Minister Klondika," Malendrian Morrible's voice wafted from the shadows. "So kind of you to visit, it's taken you long enough."

"Well unfortunately the company I'm forced to keep in the Emerald City falls short of the established standard, and is rather demanding," the Prime Minister replied, sneering as if he believed Morrible fell short as well but at the moment was the lesser of two evils. He dropped a folder to her desk. "There is the information you require. I've no doubt you'll find it interesting. Unfortunately I can't stay to observe. The Madeleines' are not to be traversed at night, and I'm expected in the city tomorrow."

"Too true I'm afraid," she didn't sound disappointed at all. "You are dismissed."

Klondika huffed out of the room, offended that an escaped convict would dare giving him such an order. But he wasn't about to argue with her.

Once the prime minister was gone, Morrible tore open the envelope he'd dropped on the table and it's contents, a stack of photographs and a roll of parchment slid out. The parchment held the names of Glinda the Good's most formidable supporters. It was longer than she'd expected, but that wouldn't be much of a problem.

The pictures she hadn't expected at all but it was a nice touch. She perused the stack; all of them were snapshots of Glinda, though some were more notable than others. One was of the Good "Sorceress" signing the bill that re-bestowed the Animals their rights to be functioning members of society (which thoroughly disgusted Morrible), another of her with the Vinkun King and Queen. Morrible checked and was slightly surprised to find that though they'd refused to annul the secession of the Vinkus from Oz the Highnesses Tiggular were quite high on the support list.

The rest of the pictures were mostly non-descript shots, hastily taken in meetings, at balls, or around the Palace, but Malendrian looked at each one anyway, analyzing details and plotting ways to use them to her advantage. The pictures showed that Glinda had failed to stop functioning once her husband was gone, which was a disappointment as far as she was concerned, but one learned to deal with such things.

All the pictures she'd looked through had been taken months before, but as she finally

Reached the last photo she found it to be _very_ recent, as her gaze fell on the now familiar figure of Glinda the Good, Morrible went rigid.

"Kristian!" She boomed.

Ten minutes later Kristian Marvel, godson of her former partner and key pawn in her plan to regain power in Oz, sauntered into the chamber. His eyes fell to the paper and pictures scattered over the table and he groaned.

"I thought you'd finally decided Klondika was worthless as a spy," he drawled.

"Would you care to look at these," she suggested in a steely sweet tone.

"Not really," he replied evenly. He knew who was in the pictures and he'd had enough trouble getting her out of his mind lately, he didn't need the added benefit of visuals to help him remember.

"Come now Kris, be brave."

She wasn't really giving him a choice he knew, so he ventured over to see the photos. They all held Glinda; doing things she'd been planning to do since before they were married, or just enjoying her gardens. Nothing really eye catching. Except to him they captured moments he should have been a part of. But Morrible didn't need to know he felt that way.

He looked up from the photos and shrugged at her nonchalantly.

With narrowed eyes she handed him the last picture. Kris took it and with a furrowed brow he turned it over to examine.

He did a double-take and had to keep a gasp down as he looked at it.

_So that's why she was on about having kids that last night_, he thought, remembering their conversation on the night of his "abduction" five months before.

Glinda was pregnant. Very pregnant, judging by the obvious bulge in her midsection. Very pregnant with _his_ child. It had to be. He forced his face to remain neutral as he stared quietly at the image. Glinda was sitting in the garden –coincidently in the same spot they'd decided to officially move passed the "just friends" stage of their relationship. Both of her hands were place protectively over her abdomen.

She didn't look particularly happy as she had in others, and upon closer inspection he could see the faint tear tracks on her cheeks. Tears over him? Or was that wishful thinking? The kind of thoughts he'd been forbidden to have since the beginning of this mess but that he'd had anyway.

All of the sudden being the sole ruler of Oz with Madame Morrible as his advisor seemed terribly petty and unimportant.

"Having second thoughts?" Morrible's cruel voice penetrated his thoughts.

_Lots,_ he thought.

"No," he said calmly. Getting himself killed now wasn't going to help anyone.

"Good," she replied, already evolving her plan to include the unborn baby Marvel. "I believe we can work around this nicely. Accidents will happen, I suppose this one will be quite fortunate. Congratulations _Daddy_."

Kris supposed he should have been glad she hadn't killed him where he stood for getting Glinda pregnant in the first place. However, something about her tone told him he was going to regret dealing with her at all.

-o-o-

The Emerald Palace was surprisingly peaceful as Amnestria Upland stepped inside the huge entrance doors. But that made sense as Lurlinemas was is two days. Oz practically shut down for the holiday, though much of the country didn't practice the religion anymore. The Emerald Palace was no exception. She imagined most of the servants had returned to their families for the festivations. Which also meant that no butler would be showing up to help her find her way.

Despite the fact that Amnestria had visited the Palace before she knew she would spend some time wandering lost, so she left her luggage at the door and set out to find her daughter.

To her surprise she didn't have to walk far before she was stopped by the first person she'd seen since her arrival.

"Madame Upland?" A young woman asked, stopping her in a corridor before what Amnestria knew was the 'residency'. She recognized her as Glinda's aide, whom she'd met the year before at her daughter's wedding.

"Oh, thank goodness. It's wonderful to see a familiar face –Aliira isn't it?- , I'd nearly thought the place had been deserted."

"Not quite, I was just leaving. May I help you with something?"

"Yes, you can tell me where I might find my daughter," Amnestria replied in a tone that left no room for discussion.

"I'm afraid she's asleep at the moment ma'am," Aliira replied.

"Sleeping?" Amnestria said skeptically.

"Yes," Aliira continued confidently. "With all that's happened in the last few months and with Lurlinemas coming up My Lady's Healers are worried about stress levels. They've ordered her to take a break during the day for bed rest."

"And she's actually done it?"

"Well they told her they'd put her on a medical leave of absence if she doesn't," Aliira confided.

"I see," Amnestria replied.

"Ma'am I hate to rush, but I've got a train to catch," Aliira stammered. "Would you mind if I showed you a room, and I'll have someone bring up your luggage –you must have luggage- on my way out?"

"Of course, of course," the older woman said absently as she followed Aliira into the residency.

They came to a stop in front of a set of elegant quoxwood doors and Aliira pushed them open. The humble fire in the hearth blazed up to put out formidable heat as the two entered and Amnestria briefly wondered if it had been magicked to do so but didn't comment.

"Will this do?" Aliira encouraged her companion to reply.

"Yes, it will suit me just fine. Show me where Galinda is and you may go."

To her credit Aliira didn't hesitate at the use of her lady's given name and didn't protest against Amnestria's wishes. She quickly held the door for the woman and led her across the hall and down a few doors.

"This is it, I'm obligated to remind you that she needs her rest, but I'm sure she'd like to know you're here."

"Thank you I will tell her myself. Happy holidays."

Aliira, recognizing a dismissal when she heard one, hurried back the way they'd come and out of sight while Amnestria quietly let herself into her daughter's bedroom suite. She was surprised to find Glinda resting on the couch instead of her bed, but glided over to her side just the same.

Glinda's eyes were closed her breathing soft and even if slightly louder than normal. Her arms were folded neatly over the bump in her abdomen and her golden curls fell lightly over the pillows and a large, ancient looking tome rested between her and the cushions of the sofa.

Amnestria hesitated to disturb whatever peace her daughter had found, but knew from experience that Glinda would rather be woken up and informed of something rather than allowed to sleep and be told later. So she gathered her skirts and knelt next to her daughter.

"Galinda," she whispered. "Galinda, darling, wake up for just a moment."

Blue eyes flashed open in full-blown panic until Glinda seemed to realize that there was nothing to worry about as she focused on her mother's familiar face. She stretched and carefully maneuvered herself to sit up.

"Mom?" She barely had time to question before she was gathered into a fierce hug

"Is Daddy here too?" Glinda asked as she was released, and made room for her mother to sit on the couch.

"No, he can't spend winters in the City anymore. It gets too cold," Amnestria explained. "So it's just the two of us, I thought I might stay until the baby is born, your father will come out then and I'll go home with him. Is that alright?"

"Of course it's alright," said Glinda, who would never have believed her mother would make the trip from Pertha Hills to visit her in the wintry Emerald City. Not when her father couldn't come, and certainly not when her older brother was much easier to visit.

Her mother smiled in her soft familiar way, and Glinda, by now over her shock, was very glad for Amnestria's arrival.

"You never did tell me how far along you were," Amnestria commented as her eyes fell to Glinda's swollen belly and she reached out to give it a tentative caress.

"Another month. A little more than that, I guess."

"And everything's fine?"

"Yes, I had my last check up just a few days ago before my Healer left for home."

"And what about…" Amnestria faltered.

"What about Kris?" Glinda finished. She looked down and said quietly, "There hasn't been any news. I get notes about once a month, but they never say anything except that he's alive and not to look for them or…well, I'll just say she's holding more than Kris hostage."

Amnestria gave her a shrewd look. "And you're buying it? Galinda that's not like you."

"No it's not. I have teams searching anyway, but the process is so slow, they could be anywhere and Morrible is fully capable of making good on her threats and destroying Oz entirely. Unfortunately, as I am often reminded, Oz is not something I can risk for one man."

"Well, you're doing what you can anyway," her mother replied, trying to offer words of comfort because wisdom was escaping her at the moment.

Glinda said nothing, but settled back into the couch. She moved to pull out her book from the cushions a moment later, and sat silently staring at the worn leather cover.

"I'll let you have your privacy again," Amnestria said uncomfortably. "I just wanted to let you know I'm here."

"Oh you don't have to-

"No, I could use a nap myself. The train ride down was a long one and you know how trains are, you can't sleep a wink on one when you try."

"All right, I'll wake you at five, and we'll go down for dinner together."

"That sounds good," Amnestria laid a kiss on her daughter's forehead before getting up to leave.

Glinda sighed when her mother had gone and shut the door. She set the Grimmerie gently down on the coffee table, she'd fallen asleep working through one of the spells earlier, and she had no desire now to try it again. She settled back into the couch, promising herself ten more minutes of rest before she got up for the evening. Ten more minutes was forgotten as she surprised herself by falling back to sleep completely almost the second she shut her eyes.

-o-o-

Elphaba blazed down the halls of Iisen Lier, she'd just returned from the Lurlinemas Lighting ceremony in the square. The rest of the Tiggular's had immediately gone to bed, but she had one more thing to do before the night was out. So she hadn't bothered to change from the heavy white and gold robes she'd worn to the ceremony and headed for the library.

Before her the hallways were dark but with little more than a thought, torches and lights ignited as she advanced. When she passed they extinguished, leaving no evidence that anyone had been in the hall at all. As she approached the library the doors flung wide to allow her entrance. She was being a bit reckless she knew. But she didn't care, even with magic energy surging rampantly through the air.

She strode across the room the doors shut gently, and the only light in the room came from the windows, where she could just make out the tops of lighted houses in the distance away from the castle. Quickly but quietly she made her way over to where her orb rested and waved it on. But no image appeared when she whispered the name of her usual suspect.

Elphaba leaned back in her chair, letting the orb fade back to its dormant state. She looked out the window at the softly falling snow.

Fiyero stood in the doorway of the library, silently watching his wife. She'd been over agitated lately, even at festivals and celebrations where she'd made it a habit to appear to be enjoying herself, he could tell she wasn't. Just as he could tell now that staying cooped up in Loryntium, was slowly driving her mad.

He wasn't sure he understood his wife's relationship with Glinda Upland. It certainly wasn't what he'd thought once upon a time before they'd left Oz. The two had gone arm in arm at school sure, and there had been an obvious –to him at least- change in Glinda once she'd returned from the Emerald City without her "best friend". But they hadn't even spent that much time together, certainly not enough to form the kind of bond he hadn't realized they had.

He watched her stare blankly out the window, looking far beyond the swirling snow that beat at the glass, he was sure. To her right, though she seemed to be doing nothing, a sphere paperweight rose as if by its own accord and Elphaba saw what she'd done but made no attempt to stop it. Instead she turned her attention to the hovering marble ball and absently sent it spinning like a child's toy.

Slowly, so he wouldn't startle her, he walked into the dim room finally. He needn't have bothered, Elphaba was so far away at the moment he could have come in with a herd of hephalumps and she wouldn't have noticed. Carefully he plucked the revolving sphere out of the air and set it down, taking Elphaba's hands in his own.

Her eyes refocused and he knew she'd only just noticed he was there. It broke his heart to see the frustration in the hazel windows to her soul, to see everything that she could never bring herself to come out and tell him. How she loved this beautiful life he'd brought her to. How she loved his people and home and family as much as he did. How she hated it all at the same time. How she couldn't stand living here safe and happy when she knew Glinda was in pain. How she hated parading around as if everything was fine when she knew it wasn't. It tore him apart inside, to know that he was forcing her to stay when all she needed was to leave.

However as Elphaba stared back at Fiyero she saw everything he couldn't say as well. She knew he only wanted to protect her. And she knew he had a point when he said that until they knew what Morrible's plot was it wasn't safe for her _or_ Glinda to return to Oz. And she knew how much he hated being the one holding her back.

No words were spoken, and yet they were somehow communicating better than they had in five months anyway. Gently, as they both came to an unspoken understanding, Fiyero tugged her into his arms, offering all the comfort he could at the moment. Elphaba bit her lip to keep from crying, she hated being this emotional, this vulnerable, even with her husband.

When she finally felt like she was somewhat in control of herself, Elphaba dared to look up at Fiyero again. As she tilted her chin up, his eyes caught hers again. And this time it was in an understanding of an entirely different sort. Steadily he leaned down into her and met her lips with his own, ever so gently but with a growing sense of urgency.

Around them the castle was quiet and the snow continued to bury the city in it's blankets of white, as if tucking Loryntium, and the two wide awake young lovers inside Iisen Liir, in for the night.

-o-o-

Awkward silence filled the Dining Room of the Emerald Palace on Lurlinemas Eve. Three women sat around one end of the long table. Glinda had abandoned her position at the head for a more casual spot next to her mother. Across from the two Upland women Calpurnia sat, a place was set next to her for Mork who had insisted on serving the full dinner that night.

All attempts at conversation had dissipated what seemed like hours before. It seemed that Calpurnia and Amnestria were somewhat less than taken with one another and Glinda was tired of being the middle woman so she'd stopped trying.

"Here we are," Mork announced, finally, as he came through the swinging door carrying four goblets of swirling violet liquid. He set one down in front of each plate. Amnestria wasted no time snatching up her glass of what was presumably wine, and taking a long sip.

"Razzleberry juice?" She questioned, as she realized there was not an ounce of alcohol in the beverage.

"Yes," Mork replied, but didn't offer any further explanation before returning back to the kitchens.

Amnestria set her cup back to the table and did her best to ignore it as she settled back into her chair and politely masked her distaste. Glinda shot a look to Calpurnia who winked back from over the brim of her own glass. It seemed that the older Upland had forgotten one of the primary rules of pregnancy –no alcohol- where the two palace residents had not only remembered but had more than accommodated for Glinda's sacrifice.

Minutes later Mork returned, this time pulling a serving cart along with him.

"It smells heavenly!" Glinda declared as he began moving the platters of food from the cart to the table and then moving to set a plate full of Lurlinemas trimmings in front of each of them.

"Yes it does," Calpurnia seconded.

Mork smiled and finished with setting out their holiday feast before taking his place next to Calpurnia.

"Well tuck in," he urged them all.

None of them needed any further encouragement. Any reservations Amnestria had over getting comfortable with the Palace Cook and his wife were forgotten for the moment. For a brief second Glinda was able to forget the problems of Oz and completely focus on the holiday, on the fact that she was surrounded by people she loved and by people who loved her.

Across the room the huge windows provided an excellent view of the snowstorm that was beginning to press in on the City. Providing a heavy cover for the night.

"Doesn't look like anyone will be going out this evening," Amnestria commented, finally making an attempt to be cordial.

"No it doesn't," Mork agreed, glancing over his shoulder at the flying snow.

"Who had any intention of going anywhere anyway?" Calpurnia said in a kind, almost joking tone.

"None of us," Glinda added. "You can't beat this company or the food."

And so a jovial tone for the meal was finally set, and they carried on light conversation throughout the meal. Telling stories of Lurlinemas past and plans for the future as they put a dent in the feast Mork had set before them.

-o-o-

Outside, just yards away from the back Palace entrance, parked under a tree that was bent with snow was a large, black carriage.

Silently, as the force of the storm steadily grew into the blizzard category a shadow crept carefully through the fallen snow, confident that any traces his tracks made would be covered again within seconds, he slipped carefully into the carriage.

"It is done, my Lord."

Across from him, Kristian Marvel sat. His face was marred by the dark, for which he was glad; it made it much harder for the goons who were carrying out this strike on the Palace to see the conflict in his features. Finally, when he was sure his expression wouldn't betray him he inclined his head and nodded his approval.

"How long will it take for the mandrake to do its job?" He asked, though he knew very well.

"A quarter of an hour," was the reply, which was no different from what Kris had expected.

"Very well," he said. After a second of hesitation and a deep breath he continued. "Commence phase two."

That was all it took. Not even a second later the door opened once more, and this time several shadows slipped out, racing against the weather to get into the castle and past the guard before being caught.

Their mission was simple: slip enough mandrake to the Good Sorceress of Oz to force her into labor. As soon as the mandrake had worked it's magic they would deliver the baby, if it lived through its premature birth they would take the child, if not they would leave it with its devastated mother and return successful anyway.

From the darkened carriage Kris waited. Morrible had sent him to lead this strike force. It was ridiculous, he couldn't very well go into the castle with the goons she'd given him charge over, he'd risk the whole mission and the whole plan as soon as he was spotted. But she'd insisted that he'd got himself into this, he'd have to see himself to a solution.

So he sat and waited like a good little boy for the mercenaries to follow through with their strategy. It was infallible at this point, there would be four feet of snow in the Emerald City before Glinda went into labor, there was no doctor at the Palace on account of the holiday and with the storm there would be no sending for one. He knew for a fact that the only two in the Palace with Glinda were Mork and Calpurnia, and the elderly couple would be no match for eleven men sent in to do the dirty work. There was security outside of course, but with his knowledge of the intricacies of the entrances and passages of the green castle getting passed them was no problem. The mandrake would work fast, Glinda would probably be feeling her first contractions by now, and then there would be no stopping them.

In short order he would either be holding his newborn or be hearing the report that there would be no baby at all.

Both outcomes terrified him.

-o-o-

Iisen Lier was quieter than Elphaba could remember it being since the previous Lurlinemas. There were no servants padding about their duties in the dark halls. Fiyero's brothers and sisters had been sent to bed so "Lurline and Pan could come to leave gifts." His parents were busy in the great room setting presents around the tree, and since she and Fiyero had already left theirs they were free to do as they pleased for the rest of the night.

The day itself had been wonderful; they'd taken his siblings (with the exception of Kenna who was too young) out with horses and sleds to play in the deep powder up the mountain behind the castle, then had returned home with plenty of time to get ready for the holiday feast and go down to eat. Now, with contented stomachs they made their way through the silent, dark corridors, leaning on one another for the sheer pleasure of it.

Up the hall from where they strolled the grandfather clock in the library chimed its midnight hymn.

"Merry Lurlinemas," Fiyero mumbled into Elphaba's hair.

"You are being silly," she told him. She stopped walking before he ran them both into a wall and tipped her head up to him staring him straight in his smoky blue eyes.

"Do you have a problem with that," he asked huskily.

Elphaba pretended to think about it.

"Not really," she said with a smile before he caught her lips with his own.

The two broke apart with ragged breaths a few minutes later, fully intending to carry on their train of silliness when they arrived at their bedroom. Unfortunately fate, if there was such a thing, had other things in mind for them that night.

"What's that?" Elphaba said as they passed the library.

A faint glow could be seen from beneath the heavy doors leading into the huge room. She didn't wait for a reply from her husband, instead she slipped from his arms to go and find out for herself.

She pushed through the doors without a second though, and found the room to be bathed in the same ethereal glow. It came from the orb, which, though small, was illuminating the entire room.

"What's going on?" Fiyero asked from behind her, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders as they tried to make sense of whatever the orb was doing.

Elphaba said nothing, she just studied the orb, there was no image that she could see in the translucent glass.

"I don't know," she finally decided. And then a thought, an idea, hit her. "Maybe it's projecting."

"Pro-whatting?"

"Projecting," she explained quickly, as she approached the magic ball. "There was one time, almost a year ago, I was in here reading and the orb just turned on. And there was Glinda."

"But there was an image that time," Fiyero pointed out.

"Maybe this time the link just isn't strong enough to produce an image," she said as they both stood over it. She waved a hand over the glass, just as much to cast the spell as to shield her eyes from the light, which had grown brighter since they'd been talking. "Glinda!"

For a split second that seemed like forever nothing happened, and then the light finally cleared and a hazy image replaced it.

Elphaba and Fiyero watched in horror as dark clad figures raced down the halls of the Emerald Palace, silently coming upon a small group of people. The corridors were just light enough to make out the faces on the group, though Elphaba only recognized one. Glinda. She was in the arms of an older fellow, obviously in pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and though the orb gave off no sound she looked like she was moaning. Shock and terror filled the faces of the other three, two women and the man, as they were surrounded.

The image blurred away to nothingness then, but not before Elphaba caught sight of the dark figures closing in on the group and forcing Glinda out of the man's arms.

"Damn it," she yelled as the orb went dark. "Glinda!"

"Elphaba stop," Fiyero said, pulling her arms down and holding her tight. "Stop!"

She whirled from his grip, eyes wild and desperate.

"I'm going," she stated fiercely.

"I know," he said, finally giving up his battle to keep her there, safe in Loryntium with him.

"Are you coming?" She asked, but only because she didn't want him to feel like she was abandoning him for good.

"I can't," he replied. She shot him a strange look; she'd expected a yes, though she would have argued with him over it. "Kylan's coronation."

"Oh," realization dawned on her. His little brother was turning seventeen in two days, as per Arjiki custom he'd be accepted as a man, given his title as a Prince, and his tattoos that marked the end of his childhood. Fiyero, as Crown Prince and older brother was doing the honors, for him to up and leave two days before the event would be impossibly disrespectful.

However it did save them an argument, and she didn't have to tell him he couldn't come. She half expected him to say something about her forgetting that detail but he stayed silent as he followed her up to their bedroom. She disappeared into the closet, alone, as soon as they arrived.

Seconds later she reemerged swathed in black and with her broom in hand. Only the pointed hat and the added weight of her spell book were missing.

"The Witch of the West returns," Fiyero commented gently, fingering the jeweled pins that she'd worn in her hair for Lurlinemas and didn't have time to take out before she left.

"_Wicked_ Witch of the West thank you very much,' Elphaba corrected with a grin that wasn't quite _her._

"So it is," he amended sadly.

"You act as if I won't be coming back."

"Are you? Once you go back and rescue Oz will you really want to come back here and melt into obscurity? Again?"

"Will you be here?"

"Yes."

"Then of course I will," she insisted without hesitation. "Besides, I'm not sure I'd call being married to the Crown Prince of the Arjiki 'melting into obscurity'."

He smiled at that. A little.

"Go get 'em then Princess."

"Witch now, remember," she said as she made her way to the window. Snow was already coming down pretty hard; it wasn't going to be easy to fly.

"Elphaba." Fiyero caught her before she could climb aboard her broom.

She turned back to him, expecting a final protest so she cut him off before he could give one.

"Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity," she said, with a sad smile.

So he did. He kissed her long and hard and insistently, until it was too much and Elphaba pulled away.

"I love you," she whispered fiercely.

He thought he saw tears in her eyes as she spun away but she was out the window, blazing through the sky and wind and snow before he could get a better look.

"I love you too," he told her disappearing form, though he knew she couldn't hear him.

He watched her until he couldn't see her anymore and then stood watching the frozen sky, cursing responsibility and praying that she'd be safe in his arms again soon.

Elphaba rocketed through the sky, fighting the wind and merciless snow that felt like tiny freezing daggers biting at the flesh of her face, mingling with the icy tears that pooled in her eyes. She didn't look back towards Iisen Lier, she couldn't. If she did she'd turn around and she was needed elsewhere, as hard as it was to leave. Her gloved hands kept the broom steady and she shot toward the portal that led to the Emerald City.

The heavy snow, flying about her made the portal almost impossible to see. But with the aid of her abilities she could find the traces of magic that portals leaked. Now that she knew what to look for it was hard to believe she'd been completely blind to them before.

Finally through the storm the portal's magic became a bright beacon right ahead of her and she brought the nose of the broom down to dive bomb the portal. Flying steep and fast until she felt the vacuum that came with hopping enclose her and rip her through to the Emerald City.

* * *

**Review, or I, on principle, refuse to put up part two. Thanks for reading.**


	15. New Arrivals Part II

**Ever After**

**New Arrivals Part II**

**Okay I'm updating are ya happy? Of course not, but hopefully you will be slightly happier by the end of the chapter. And…I don't own it, so read on!**

Silver utensils clattered to the fine porcelain plate as a wave of pain wracked Glinda. Her vision clouded as she doubled over from the sudden force of it.

"Galinda!" Her mother's voice broke through the overwhelming torture of the muscle spasms.

"Galinda can you hear? Answer me!" Amnestria pleaded desperately because she didn't know what else to do.

Glinda could only gasp in reply. She was in agony, her whole body felt as if it were being ripped inside out. Muscles she didn't know possessed contorted and contracted against her will.

"She's going into labor," Calpurnia realized.

"But she told me she had another month to go!" Amnestria protested.

"She does!" Calpurnia shot back with vicious impatience. "Mork take her up to the medic wing, I'll find a healer."

Mork gathered the moaning Glinda into his arms as carefully as he could. Amnestria watched, rooted in place by worry and fear.

"Go with him!" Calpurnia ordered as they rushed out of the dining room. "Make her as comfortable as possible and keep her conscious if you can."

Then Calpurnia was gone, heading for the nearest exit to the stables, knowing that the nearest healer was a probably a good five minutes ride away if she was lucky.

Glinda battled for air in between the fast and powerful contractions and groaned in agony when they hit. Mork did his best to keep from jostling her as he walked; even with his age and the extra weight of the baby it was easy to carry her. Amnestria followed closely, even though tears of fear collected in her eyes she was quieter than she had been since her arrival.

They moved quickly, so Mork was surprised when Calpurnia caught up with them.

"There will be no healer," she informed them breathlessly.

"What?" Amnestria demanded.

"There is a blizzard outside," Calpurnia said grimly. "I can't see past the porch and there's too much snow on the ground to ride into town, much less walk."

"Oh for heaven's sake, there's a baby on the way and there's no healer to be found in this forsaken place?"

"I can deliver the child if it comes to that," Calpurnia assured her as they kept walking. "It's whatever complication caused her to go into labor that I'm most worried about. How is she?"

"Alive," replied Mork.

"Conscious?"

Glinda groaned as if to say "Barely," and the three quickened their pace.

-o-o-

Elphaba burst from the face of the Dragon Time Clock not bothering to make sure it swung shut behind her. The storm was much worse in the Emerald City, the wind nearly knocked her off her broom but she managed to stay air borne, flying in the general direction of the Palace. She could barely see it ahead of her, only a faint verdant glow marked where it stood and she raced directly toward it.

"It's not far now," Calpurnia told the small group. "A few more yards and a couple of stairs."

She held a torch, lighting the way before them because the hallways leading to the hospital wing had been left dark for the holiday.

The group pressed on until the beating of the wind against the windowpanes and the sound of their own footsteps were no longer the only sounds in the corridor.

They all halted at the tale-tale hiss of swords being tugged from scabbards and the click of guns being cocked. Calpurnia raised her torch a little higher until light flooded the staircases twenty feet ahead of them, casting shadows on the dark figures that gathered there. Three sets of eyes widened in terror as sabers and barrels glinted menacingly and the figures closed in.

Elphaba nearly ran into the Palace before she could see it clearly. As she pulled up hard to veer off just enough to avoid collision, the windows finally became discernable. They were all darkened as she examined them, looking for any sign of movement inside. When she didn't immediately see it he began to doubt that there was really any emergency to come rushing out for. But she kept searching, her instinct screaming that no, there was a reason, she just had to find it.

At last as she rounded the tower to the courtyard side of the Palace she caught sight of an illuminated window. Fighting against the ever-growing force of the tempest she sailed toward it.

The window posed little problem, with a thought the lock released and it blew open to allow her inside and then shut against the gale behind her.

In one smooth motion she leapt silently off the broom and caught it as it stopped. She pulled her hood low over her face and steadily approached the light; afraid she knew exactly what she'd find once she got there.

She was right. As soon as she was close enough to survey the corridor she saw the same image that the orb had shown her not an hour before. The same black figures were closing in on the small group bringing Glinda with them. Aiming rifles and pistols and swinging swords just to be intimidating. Judging by the expressions of the three they were succeeding.

Anger welled up in Elphaba and without thinking she let it loose. Abilities that she hadn't even begun to tap into since the last big storm, she set free. This was not the reckless magic she'd been experimenting with. This was cold, raw, unhinged, and yet very controlled power.

She was almost cruelly aware of every spell that she cast, every magick that she called on and brought forth. She watched with detached satisfaction as green flames sprung up between the hunters and the hunted. At once the predator became the prey and the Wicked Witch of the West was calling the shots.

Without hesitation the men turned on her and just as quickly she focused on them. With a mercilessly calculated wave of her hand two of the eleven were sent out the nearest window and unceremoniously fed to the awaiting storm.

Three more were rocketed to the ceiling as they tried to leap up to the landing where she stood. They fell to the floor. Unconscious or dead, at that point she wasn't overly concerned with which. The stupider of the remaining six turned to attempt going after their original quarry and were devoured by the fiery emerald barrier leaving only three.

"Ahven tatey A chum dah!" The Witch hissed a spell she remembered from the Grimmerie –a spell she'd never had any intention of using. Ever.

The two unlucky men who found themselves in its path were gone in an instant, disappeared from existence in the blink of an eye.

Her anger and concentration dwindled as she realized what she'd done. With no hesitation or mercy she'd sent two people to their deaths, and three more to a coma at least. The three who had tried crossing the fire had brought on their own deaths maybe but she might have killed them anyway. And two had been _erased _completely; no one would remember them at all because in a few seconds no one would know they'd existed anyway.

Surely she could argue that this was in the defense of herself and her friend but this was not the way Elphaba Tiggular fought. Was it?

In her battle to remember herself Elphaba forgot that only that only ten of the eleven were gone. The final man took her by surprise as she surveyed the damage. His sword swept at her throat and she turned away just in time to keep her head but not soon enough to rescue her cowl. It fell to her shoulders and the shocked man fell to his knees.

"It can't be," he gritted out.

"But it is," Elphaba replied.

The Wicked Witch truly had returned.

"Stop!" She commanded as he tried to make his escape out the window. She had no intention of killing him as well but she couldn't let him escape to report to whoever had sent him. As she raised her hand to freeze him in his tracks he made the choice for her. Rather than be held captive and face the wrath of the Witch he took his gun and swallowed the barrel bullet first.

Elphaba winced as the body slumped to the floor. Remorsefully –not at the price of defense, just the waste of life- she let the green flames take care of the gory remains before lowering her head a bit as she extinguished the power that kept the barrier alive.

As the fire disappeared the corridor darkened and finally appeared as if no skirmish had just been handled there at all.

Elphaba remained on the landing, clutching her broom and breathing heavily while the trio before her stared on with renewed horror. Only Glinda, who tried to brace herself in Mork's steady arms as another wave of pain shattered her thin frame, brought them out of their stupor.

He glanced at his wife, as if asking what he should do, and almost immediately had his answer. Together, they moved up the staircase, setting their shoulders with confidence that they didn't really feel, and walked toward and then past Elphaba to the hospital wing. Amnestria followed with less surety, but concern for her daughter's well being won out against her anxiety of Elphaba and she hurried after the other two.

The hospital wing was dark when Mork carefully stepped through the door with his precious cargo. No one had expected to use it, so all the beds were neatly made and all equipment had been packed away for the duration of the holidays. In hindsight that was a horrible idea that begged for trouble to come running. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

As Calpurnia followed him through the door her torch lit the room, its light glinted against the steel frames of the six hospital beds inside and cast eerie shadows on the walls. Mork looked again to his wife, this time seeking to find where he should deposit the Good Sorceress. She nodded to the nearest bed and went to provide a little more illumination in the room. But the green woman, who was apparently staying for the show, beat her to it. The torches and candelabras ignited as if by themselves, though magic was probably the culprit, and at the far end of the room a fire crackled to life in the hearth, warming the room with unnatural speed.

Calpurnia's jaw tightened at the sight, and she rounded on the strange woman. She knew who this was; of course she knew, all of Oz knew. The question was what was she doing alive, and what was she doing traipsing around the Emerald Palace of all places? She gazed intently at the Witch, attempting to size her up. It didn't make sense that she was working with their ambushers from the hallway; otherwise she'd wasted good manpower. Unless it was a trap, and she was just trying to win their trust for long enough to fulfill whatever motivation she had for dropping in on them. Somehow Calpurnia doubted, the latter theory but under the circumstances couldn't discount it completely out of hand.

"Would you mind taking a seat over there?" Calpurnia directed her to a bed against the far wall.

The green woman's mask of irritation dropped for a split second at the solicitation and Calpurnia saw a thousand different emotions flutter across her face before the mask fell into place once more and her expression was unreadable. She was startled, that they hadn't called for the Guard to come up yet, and more startled that she hadn't been asked to leave –not that she would have had they asked. But mostly concern flooded her features and for that brief moment Calpurnia saw not the Wicked Witch, but a concerned woman –friend?- in her eyes.

Elphaba hesitated for just a moment at the elderly woman's request, torn between the desire to demand to be able to help Glinda in anyway she could and the necessity of staying in these people's good graces for the time being. Finally she acquiesced, striding to the bed directly opposite the one her friend currently occupied, she gingerly sat on it. Removing her cloak, which was soaked with melted snow, and placing it on the end of the bed before fixing her gaze back on the three who were clustered around Glinda.

Calpurnia stared back for a second before pushing the woman out of her mind and concentrating at the task before her. It was obvious of that Glinda was in a lot of pain, though she remained unconscious for the present. It was also obvious, that the baby was on its way whether they were ready for it or not.

"Mork I need hot water and lots of towels," she said, donning the self-assurance that had seen her through a countless number of battles, both literal and emotional, that life had deigned to put her through. "Amnestria, stay with your daughter and call me the second she wakes up. See if you can't get her out of that ridiculous dress. If you need help holler, I'll be back with something a little easier to work around."

Amnestria nodded, not trusting her voice to safeguard her composure. She moved quickly to her daughter's side while Mork and Calpurnia disappeared into a side room, ostensibly to search for the supplies they'd need to see the delivery through. The aging blonde worked quickly, and more proficiently than anyone would have thought her capable of. She pulled Glinda up enough that she could work the fastenings of her gown free and then lay her back down gently, while pulling the dress away. Once Glinda was free of the garments and everything else her mother pulled the sheet over her, feeling an odd urge to protect her modesty for as long as she could.

Within minutes Calpurnia and Mork came bustling back into the room, pointedly ignoring all but Glinda. The two made their way quickly to the bed where the blonde had been place. Mork set the big silver tub he was carrying down near the end of the bed, but out of the way. Calpurnia placed and armload of towels next to it, and then moved to the bedside with a smock-like hospital gown to dress Glinda in. With Amnestria's help she placed it around Glinda and then propped the unconscious good witch up with pillows. When that was finished Amnestria backed off, unsure of what she should do next.

"Oh my," Calpurnia couldn't help the gasp that escaped her mouth as she checked on how Glinda was progressing. "Mork, there were smelling salts in the other room, go get them hurry."

"What's wrong?" Amnestria demanded as Mork left.

Calpurnia bit back a snarky reply and settled for, "Your grandbaby is just anxious to get here, that's all."

Elphaba watched anxiously from the bed, what little patience she'd accumulated since arriving was rapidly vanishing. As the older fellow returned, clutching a bottle, time seemed to accelerate. Within seconds his wife was waving the bottle beneath her friend's nose and Glinda was spluttering to coherency.

Amnestria breathed a sigh of relief, so did Mork, but Calpurnia remained tense, she fretted a through the supplies they'd brought out, checking to be sure they had everything they'd need.

As Glinda was instructed by her mother to breath deep Calpurnia turned to her husband once more.

"Mork I think it would be best if you went down and notified the guard that there were intruders in the palace," she told him.

"But-

"No arguments, I haven't got time," Calpurnia cut him off. "You hardly made it through the birth of your own children I don't see how you'll be of any help through this. Aside from that Security needs to know their borders were breached."

"No, what about her?" Mork said again, gesturing to Elphaba as if she was an object instead of a person who could actually hear him.

Calpurnia sighed, for a moment she'd been able to forget about their _other_ intruder. She was loath to send her straight to the dungeon considering that she'd just saved their lives, but she had to admit the green woman made her nervous.

"Stand at the end of the hall with an extra guard, I'll call if we need help," she decided.

Mork looked unhappy with the direction, but she was right as usual and they had no time for an argument so he conceded, retreating back out into the hall with a torch.

"All right darling, are you still with us?" Calpurnia's attention immediately shifted to Glinda.

The young woman nodded. Though perspiration weighed down her formerly bouncy curls and streaked her make-up she looked healthier than before, and Calpurnia suspected that whatever had induced her labor had passed and she was now in normal labor.

"Good. In a minute you're going to have to start pushing, it will hurt but it'll be worth it I promise," Calpurnia told her, trying to convey as much confidence and reassurance as she possibly could. Though confidence and assurance were something she was afraid she lacked at the moment she'd fake it for Glinda's sake.

"It's too early," Glinda protested, gritting her teeth against another wave of unworldly pain. Whoever said birth was natural had obviously never been in labor.

"It will be fine," Calpurnia insisted. "Are you ready?"

Glinda looked like she wanted to say no, even from across the room Elphaba could tell that much. But she finally nodded once more and gripped her mother's hand in preparation. Without thinking Elphaba stood and crossed to Glinda's side and lend whatever help or support she could. Amnestria's keen eye caught her before she'd even taken one step.

"On the bed or we'll call the guard," she snapped and Elphaba dropped back to the bed, fuming at being treated like a naughty puppy.

"Who's it?" Glinda asked, her vision still a little blurry.

"It's nothing," Amnestria said soothingly. "Don't worry."

"No mom… .

Glinda leaned over, blinking, trying to catch a glimpse past Calpurnia at whomever was occupying the bed across from her. Her eyes finally focused on an obscure face. She couldn't discern features, but the green was unmistakable.

"_Elphie?_" She squeaked, her pain forgotten for a split second as hope took over.

Elphaba needed no further encouragement; she jumped from the bed and crossed the room before the older women could process what happened.

"You're alive?" Glinda breathed, reaching for her hand as soon as Elphaba was close enough. Tears filled her eyes, though this time not tears of pain but of joy. "I knew it, I knew…

"Sshh," Elphaba crooned, though she was just as elated as her friend. "Stay focused."

She squeezed Glinda's hand and looked up to find Amnestria staring, mouth hanging wide open, as if she was too shocked to yell for a guard in spite of her attempts.

"Look…ma'am," Calpurnia spluttered nervously, trying to articulate that she had a baby to deliver and that she couldn't do it with the Wicked Witch of the West standing right next to her.

"Argh!" Glinda's cry cut her off and Elphaba's hand went numb from the pressure the blonde suddenly applied to it.

Calpurnia forgot all about her witchy concerns and Amnestria managed to quell hers for she was too preoccupied with the loss of feeling in her own hand.

"Glinda you need to push!" Calpurnia directed over the younger woman's moans.

"And breathe!" reminded Elphaba, as the blonde squeezed her hand ever harder.

Glinda sucked in air and sagged back against the pillows for a second of rest before Calpurnia directed her to push again.

"Head's crowning," Calpurnia announced. After nearly forty-five minutes of pushing those two words were the most glorious sentence any of them had ever heard. "Keep pushing Glinda!"

Glinda groaned again, but summoned strength from some hidden reserve for another push.

"One more big one honey," Calpurnia directed, never looking up from her work.

"_Can't_," Glinda gasped.

"Just one," Elphaba urged her. "Then it'll be over. One last push."

Glinda gritted her teeth, let out a whimper and _pushed_. As the tide of pain ebbed she strained to understand what Calpurnia was saying.

Before Elphaba could possibly think of going near the baby Amnestria crowded around Calpurnia, effectively leaving Elphaba no choice but to be the one to stay at Glinda's side.

The perfectly manicured hand holding hers slackened as Glinda fell back, exhausted. Elphaba carefully tucked strands of damp, golden hair back behind her friend's ears and wiped the sweat from her face with the edge of the sheet.

"It's a boy," said Elphaba, who'd caught Calpurnia's words, as a faint mewling sound filled the room at last and Glinda truly allowed herself to relax against the downy pillows.

A few minutes later Amnestria elbowed Elphaba out of the way as Calpurnia brought the baby to his mother and laid the tiny child against Glinda's chest.

"Four weeks early and on the small side, but he's as healthy as they come," the silver haired woman announced proudly.

"Hello," Glinda mumbled quietly in her singsong way. As soon as the words escaped her mouth the baby stopped fussing and his attention was riveted on her. He knew her voice, and he knew her. As she gazed into the vividly blue eyes of her son she knew that technically he couldn't see her properly, his new eyes couldn't focus that much. But she would've sworn otherwise in a heartbeat had anyone asked, his stare was so wise, so intent.

Though she was irked that she'd been so blatantly shoved aside, Elphaba wisely chose to disregard it, moving back to the bed on the far side of the room to watch the proceedings from a distance.

When it was clear that the newborn had had his fill of being ogled at Calpurnia helped Glinda slide the top of her hospital gown away, so she could nurse her son for the first time. Perfect content filled the blonde's features as she stared down again at the baby and a wave of strong, unexpected jealousy rose up in Elphaba. How was it that everything that she had to fight and suffer to even dream of having came so easily to Glinda? Why wasn't she the one holding her newborn, instead of the perky blonde?

As quickly as the thoughts manifested themselves Elphaba banished them. Aristocra had warned her soon after she'd miscarried that she may feel such things, but it had never been a problem, she'd never have guessed that they would appear now. She was determined, not to think or feel that jealousy again, she had no right to. Glinda more than deserved to be content in the midst of the catastrophe that had surrounded her pregnancy and delivery, and Elphaba truly couldn't have been happier for her.

"He needs a name," Glinda's mother's comment brought Elphie back to the present.

"Valin," Glinda replied, almost too quietly for Elphaba to hear. "Valin Kaare Marvel."

"Well, it looks as if little Valin is ready for his first nap," Calpurnia said, in a candy-coated voice. "Would you mind if we bring Mork up to see first though, he'd be on the warpath if I didn't."

"Go ahead," Glinda said, though her energy was circling the drain and a nice long nap sounded heavenly to her as well.

A moment later Calpurnia returned with Mork, who looked like a little boy discovering his presents on Lurlinemas Morning. Which, in a way he was, as Lurlinemas Morning had officially arrived three hours before. He took Valin for a brief minute, tenderly cradling the fragile bundle. Nothing could have wiped the contagious smile from his face as he cooed at the infant, receiving a yawn for his efforts.

"All right sleepy time," Calpurnia insisted sweetly, when Valin's eyes drooped shut entirely.

Valin was placed in his mother's arms once more, while the cook and his wife retrieved the basinet from the other room and set it next to her bed. Then Amnestria set him gently inside, under Glinda's watchful gaze.

"Goodnight darling," the elder upland told her daughter, placing a kiss on her cheek. Mork followed suite, still giddy from the joyous turn of events. Then Calpurnia offered her congratulations.

"Ma'am," Calpurnia caught Elphaba's attention. "If you'll come with me I'll show you a room where you can stay the night."

Elphaba was startled; she'd fully intended to remain in the hospital wing. To her credit she didn't show it, and she realized that the aging lady was not giving her an option.

"Very well," she replied formally, mustering up the diplomacy that Gwyn had spent months drilling into her.

For a moment, Glinda looked as if she was going to protest, but she hesitated at Elphaba's compliance. If Elphaba was going to do as she was told for once Glinda wasn't about to stop her, even if she wanted to.

"Goodnight Elphie," she called after her friend quietly, so only she could hear.

"Fresh dreams Glinda," Elphaba whispered back, then disappeared along with the rest of the group.

-o-o-

Elphaba tossed and turned in her bed. She'd been sent to an enormous room in the residency, not far, she knew, from Glinda's own quarters. They were luxurious, matching Iisen Lier in elegance and taste. But even in the airy quarters she felt claustrophobic.

The silence was stifling, and the bed too large and too empty. She'd nearly fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion over an hour ago, but in the half-awake daze she'd rolled to the middle of the bed expecting Fiyero's arms to be waiting for her, when they hadn't and she remembered where she was the desire to sleep left her entirely.

Home was a thousand miles away she realized miserably, her husband, her safety, was just as unreachable as the familiar warmth of her own bed. All at once the distress and the emptiness she felt were overbearing, an insurmountable turmoil threatening to squash her out of existence and the temptation to run for something familiar was tantalizingly accessible. All she had to do was get her broom and brave the remnant of the storm.

She forced herself to remember that wasn't an option. That until she'd made things right again in Oz this unfamiliar place _was_ home.

She rolled again, a last-ditch effort to find a comfortable spot that didn't remind her how empty the bed really was, and found herself peering over the edge of the mattress at the thick carpet of the floor.

Mumbling an Vinkun oath that she was certain she'd picked up from her husband she slid from the tangled covers to the floor and then padded towards the door, pausing only long enough to collect her boots. Everything else could remain in the room for the night. Once she found her way to the doors in the dark her hand caught the latch and pressed. It didn't budge. They'd locked her in.

Impatient anger sparked inside her soul again. But it was unwarranted of course, she'd given no one any reason to trust her, she wouldn't have let herself be free to gallivant around the Palace either were she in their position either. It also wasn't really a problem; locks were easy enough to get by.

With a hastily muttered spell the latch clicked and the heavy door swung open allowing her into the dark hallway. She let it swing shut again, and relocked it behind her for good measure before silently moving through the barren corridors back towards the hospital wing.

The door snicked softly as Elphaba pushed through, the gentle glow of the fire provided the only illumination. It was just enough for her to see where she was going.

"Elphie?"

"What're you doing awake?" Elphaba whispered, approaching the bed that her friend still occupied.

"Thought I heard the baby, it must've been you," Glinda muttered in return.

"Sorry."

"S'okay. What're you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," Elphaba admitted, finally relaxing a bit.

"Pull up a bed. You have a lot of 'splainin' to do in the morning."

"I know," she replied as she climbed into the bed next to Glinda's, snuggling down into the cotton warmth of the sheets.

Briefly it was easy to pretend the hospital wing was a dorm room at Shiz University, and that neither of them had any worries greater than what to wear in the morning or what notes to take to sorcery, but at the same time Elphaba was glad that it wasn't, she was glad Shiz was in the past, and that for the present her best friend was asleep across the room and safe anyway.

"Elphie?" Glinda's voice penetrated the darkness and the lethargic haze that was falling over Elphaba.

"Yeah?"

"Happy Lurlinemas," Glinda replied, sounding as if she'd had something to say but then decided it could wait until morning.

"Happy Lurlinemas."


	16. Fint Nyheter og Darlig Nyheter

**Ever After.**

**Fint Nyheter og Darlig Nyheter**

**The response to the last chapter was overwhelming, I'm verklempt (again), thanks to all who read and reviewed. I apologize for the hiatus, and I'm very grateful you're still with me. This has been extremely difficult to write because of real life stuff interrupting it all the time, but I think I finally got it. Enjoy! **

_Five Days after Lurlinemas_

"Well this is just _peachy_," Morrible's voice dripped with venomous disdain from the recesses of her inner chamber, her so-called throne room.

For a moment she almost seemed in control of herself, almost genuinely happy with the way things were going. But the calm façade was shattered when she spun and hurled the copy of _Ozmopolitan_ she was holding across the room. It hit a gargoyle behind Kris with a resounding smack; there was a popping as its spine broke when in dropped to the stone floor at his feet. He held his breath, knowing that could easily have been his own spine snapping against the granite.

Bravely Kris returned Morrible's enraged glare with one of his own, concealing his misery behind a mask of stubborn defiance. He knew she was waiting for him to look at it, no matter how he tried to hide it that much was evident at least.

"Well go on," she urged finally, in a tone that didn't construe encouragement. "_Read it._

Finally he glanced down to the glossy-paged periodical at his feet, though he was careful to free his face from any emotion at all. Glinda graced the cover, which was to be expected, the only hint of what was inside were the words _Lurlinemas Miracle, Pg. 84_. Without a glance to his menace of a mentor he picked the broken magazine up and flipped to page eighty-four, as he knew she was waiting for him to.

The pictures he found were all from old photo-shoots but the story was quite detailed. He found the name, time of birth and the size of his son. _Valin_. He caught the mention that a kidnapping had already been attempted, that would have been his own of course. There was also something about increased security and nobody being allowed in the residency of the palace without clearance from Glinda herself.

"I want that baby, Mr. Marvel," Morrible's voice hacked through the deceitful quiet that had settled in the chamber. "You _are_ going to get him for me."

At her words the dam Kris was keeping on his emotions sprung a leak and white-hot anger poured through.

"He is a child," he seethed, dropping the magazine back to the floor. "He is not a weapon to wield against his mother."

Morrible's expression slid into deadly serenity and the doors at the end of the chamber opened to allow two burly men inside.

"You have until the twenty-fifth day of the new year," she continued emotionlessly. "Your son will be a month old and your ride will await. Rest assured I will not accept failure this time."

When she finished her villainous monologue the two men took their cue and hauled Kris out of her presence.

"Wait! What do you want me to do?" He yelled back at her, he didn't like this turn of the tides and it was the only thing he could think of to stall.

"Don't worry, you'll have ample time to be creative. Think of what I'm doing as giving you the opportunity to redeem yourself, and your father. And your son."

Vague understanding dawned on Kris, but it was short-lived. As the heavy Ev-oak doors of the throne room slammed shut, the goons carting him away got to the fun part of their job. Kris, though he wasn't a weak man, was no match for the bigger brutes; their jabs and kicks knocked the wind out of him first, then pummeled his clarity away, and finally took his consciousness, slowly beating away his hold on life, until there was hardly anything left at all.

"That's enough gentleman," Morrible said dispassionately as she exited the throne room. "We need him yet."

The two goons nodded and conceded, shoving the broken body of Kristian Marvel into a horseless carriage that waited in the courtyard. When they finished they gave the affirmative to the woman waiting on the rocky balcony above them, she barely acknowledged their signal. Within seconds the chilly canyon breeze reached gale force, storm clouds gathered and darkened above them. The two dove for cover away from the carriage and watched in terror as a cyclone filled the space they'd occupied. The black twister lifted the carriage clean off the ground, and then as if cradling it, began to sweep through the canyon heading southwest for the Emerald City.

-0-0-

In the Emerald City a thick blanket of snow was the only reminder of the blizzard that had made it's presence known five days prior on the eve of Lurlinemas. The streets had at last been cleared, and the powdery remnants glittered in the yards and parks of the City, making everything glow with day-like brilliance though the Dragon Clock indicated that the time was nearing three a.m.

The wee hours of the morning again found Elphaba Tiggular tossing and turning in her bed. She'd spent three nights in the monstrous quarters she'd been assigned at the Emerald Palace and still couldn't get used to sleeping in the immense bed by herself. She supposed she ought to be grateful that she was no longer being locked in the room at night. _That_ had taken some explaining, on both her part and Glinda's, but it seemed that Glinda's close friends and mother trusted that she wasn't going to murder them all in their sleep at least. Still, none involved were looking forward for when time finally allowed them to sit down and really explain things as they were.

After a final attempt to roll over and go to sleep she quietly slid from her bed, not bothering to pull a robe on over her dark green sleepwear (courtesy of the Emerald Palace), she fully intended to at least stay in her own room for the night, instead of running to Glinda's like a frightened child. Glinda wasn't getting enough rest either, and the last thing she needed was for Elphaba to walk into her room unannounced and crash on her couch every night.

However, fate had other things in mind it seemed, Elphaba had managed to focus on looking out her window for a full ten minutes before a foreign sound at last broke her reverie. She didn't recognize it at first, but as the sound grew louder it grew more familiar. A baby cry. Valin. For a split second she considered leaving him and his mother be. But then she reconsidered; deciding that if he was screaming at three in the morning then something out of the norm was going on.

Silently she exited her room and made her way across the hall and down to Glinda's chambers. Though some of the other residents of the Palace had returned since their holidays she didn't have to worry about being seen because only about six people were allowed to enter the wing at all. The crying grew louder as she grew closer and had she had time she would have wondered how she was the only who heard it. She didn't bother to knock, but simply pulled at the fancy door handles and let herself into her friend's bedroom.

Glinda was at the fireplace; it was obvious that she was about ready to join her son in hysterics so Elphaba didn't hesitate to pull the baby from her arms and direct her to the couch. Her friend's azure eye's glistened with gratitude and something that suspiciously resembled guilt as Elphaba adjusted Valin against her chest, careful to keep his cheek against the silky fabric of her shirt and not to let him scratch against the buttons.

He didn't stop crying, if anything his protests only grew louder, but Elphaba was patient with him.

"Shh…" she whispered into his velvety hair, alternating between patting and rubbing his back tenderly until at last he burped and the problem seemed to be taken care of.

"Give me the burp rag," she told Glinda, who handed her the blue cloth from her shoulder. Elphaba took it with the hand that wasn't holding Valin and used it to gently wipe away the bit of milk that he'd spit up.

"There we go," she told him softly, and then resumed rubbing his back. Within ten minutes he was fast asleep. Without missing a beat Elphaba took him across the room and transferred him to the bassinette next to his mother's bed and then went to sit next to Glinda on the couch.

For a long moment neither of them said anything, they hadn't said much at all since Elphaba's arrival in fact. But Glinda couldn't help herself any longer, she had to tell someone, and since her mother hadn't listened the duty to do so fell on Elphaba's shoulders.

"Elphie what in Oz was I thinking?" Glinda asked. She stared unblinkingly at the fire in the hearth as if entranced by its warm glow, not noticing the single tear blazing a trail down her cheek.

"What?" Was all Elphaba could think to say.

"What was I thinking," the blonde repeated, her voice rising. She stood up and wiped her eyes though it was obvious that she wasn't done crying yet. "For one thing I'm not even twenty-three years-old yet. For another I have a country to be responsible for, I have a husband sure, but who knows where in Oz he is. Not that he wanted children anyway," she continued bitterly.

"Glinda-

"And you're better with my son than I am, you know how to get him to sleep, you know what to do when he's fussy, you know exactly how to hold him-

"Glinda!" Elphaba tried again but still the blonde didn't seem to even hear her.

"How could I have even thought that I was ready to deal with this?" Glinda continued, now she was sobbing and yelling. "Who the _hell_ gave me permission to reproduce?"

"Well at least you got permission!" Elphaba yelled back, finally getting her attention. "At least some one gave you the go-ahead or whatever it is that you have to get- at least you have a healthy baby! There are things a lot worse than not being able to get him to sleep on _one_ night Glinda! A lot worse."

At the end of her tirade Elphaba clapped her hand over her mouth, not really believing she'd just said what she had.

"Oh believe me I know worse. Where were you when the City was under water? Where were you on my wedding day when I nearly died trying to stop it from flooding again. Where were you six months ago when I watched my husband get sucked out our bedroom window?" Glinda retorted icily, ignoring the fact that her friend's rage had depleted and that she was fighting uncharacteristic tears. "Off having your fairytale ending?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I was doing," Elphaba replied emphatically while trying to steel herself against the flood of emotions that was coming with her words. "Do you know how hard that was? How hard it was for me to sit, safe in a castle 2,000 klicks away, watching you fight battles that I left you alone to fight? I did the best I could Glinda and it cost me so much, it cost Fiyero so much. But I'm here now, and I'm not leaving until we fix things. Together."

"How do you know we can? I've been trying to fix things for two years, and look at where it's gotten me. Where it's gotten us," Glinda answered bitterly. "I'm sick of fighting Elphaba."

"Glinda I already tried fighting alone, now you have too. We both failed. It's time to try working together, because there's nothing left to do and giving up obviously isn't an option, there's too much at stake."

Glinda nodded solemnly, sniffling as she did so. She sat back down on the sofa next to Elphaba.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Glinda asked finally, sounding for all the world like a small child with serious abandonment issues. "I'm so glad you're alive, that you're really here. But I don't understand why you let me believe you were dead, that I was alone."

It broke Elphaba's heart, and the emotions she'd been dueling for control were pressing their advantage.

"I wanted to," Elphaba whispered so Glinda wouldn't hear her voice crack. "I wanted to so badly. But I also wanted to keep you safe, and I didn't want you knowing that I was alive to put you in danger."

"I was already in danger Elphie," Glinda whispered back, a tear blazing a trail down her porcelain cheek. "It would have been nice to know my best-friend was still looking out for me."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say, I'm so sorry."

"I missed you so much, I don't know that I ever said that, with all that's been going on," Glinda told her as she leaned against Elphaba's shoulder and shut her eyes against her tears.

"I missed you too," Elphaba replied gravely, understanding that if she wasn't forgiven already then she was well one her way. Tentatively she wrapped one arm loosely around her best friend's shoulders, offering as much comfort as she could while they both tried to regain some composure.

"I should be getting back," Elphaba said a long while later; when she noticed that Glinda was nearing dreamland.

"You can have the couch again if you'd like," Glinda offered tiredly, as she stood to go back to her own bed. Her exhaustion didn't stop her from noticing that Elphaba still didn't seem very fond of her room. Glinda didn't blame her, it had taken her months to be able to get used to sleeping alone. So she continued offhandedly, "You may just have to put your godson back to sleep in a couple hours anyway."

"Godson?"

"Sure, you think just because you're not dead you can get out of fulfilling your duties as my best friend," Glinda retorted lightly.

"Well then, as your undead best friend I think that's a duty I can deal with," Elphaba replied as she stretched out along the sofa.

"Like I was giving you a choice," the blonde mumbled before falling to sleep.

-0-0-

The early dawn hours were quiet and clear in Loryntium. Though there had been a storm the night before, it had cleared with the rising of the sun, leaving only a blanket of new snow as evidence that it had been there at all. The air was brisk, though the sun was pouring out warmth across the castle grounds making the ice glitter and gleam in it's growing light.

Frosty plumes of warm breath wafted away from the lone figure crossing the grounds and Fiyero glanced one last time at the palace before pushing the stable door open and ducking inside. The stables were considerably warmer, he shucked off his heavy overcoat and slung it through the strap of the rucksack he carried. Because of the early hour no stable hand came to cater to him, and for that he was glad; he wasn't really interested in waiting for someone to get his horse ready for him.

As he crossed the broad corridor between the rows of stables several of the horses stuck their heads over their gates to greet him, probably hoping he'd come bearing a snack. When he reached the tack closet he set his bag down, and chose a rope from one of the hooks before wandering back to the stable area.

"Hullo boy," he said as he reached his horse, Caspian. He gave the stallion a gentle pat on the muzzle before clipping the rope to his bridle. "Let's go."

He led the horse closer the end of the barn and stopped him near the tack room. He didn't bother tying him up, there wasn't really anywhere for the horse to go, and aside from that Fiyero knew that _his_ horse wasn't going to trot away.

Confident that Caspian would stand still, Fiyero left disappeared once more into the closet, emerging a few minutes later with a sack full of grain in hand and a curry comb and brush in the other. He set the grain in front of the horse, allowing him to get in a good breakfast while he set to work on his coat. It wasn't a large task to brush away the dirt and grime, not from an animal who spent ninety percent of his time in the winter, secured in a ridiculously clean stall. But the familiarity and monotony of the process gave Fiyero a little extra time to think.

"What are you doing up so early?" Gwynigael Tiggular's voice rang out sharply through the otherwise quiet barn.

Fiyero spun around to find his mother standing a few feet behind him, with her arms folded across her chest. He couldn't believe he hadn't heard her come in, but then his mother had always excelled at sneaking up on her son.

"Getting ready for a ride," he answered in his best matter-of-fact tone.

"I can see that," Gwyn replied dryly. "Where are you going?"

"The Emerald City," he admitted, not willing to play games for any longer than he had to.

"I don't think so."

"Stop playing games with me Mother."

"I assure you I'm quite serious."

"I see," Fiyero replied evenly. "But whether you think so or not I will be going."

He turned back to his horse, refusing to look at his mother as he worked at the claps of his saddle, making sure that everything was done up properly. She watched him shrewdly but didn't say anything for a while. He knew she was there still, probably formulating her next move carefully, weighing everything she could possibly say next, deciding which could be used as the best leverage.

"I'm rather disappointed in you, you know."

Fiyero sighed, and at last glanced back at her.

"Why? Because I've decided to join my wife in the City?"

"No. When you brought Elphaba home, and you both promised you were ready for the responsibilities you were marrying into, I was convinced you were telling the truth."

"We were," he insisted.

"Your duties to your country do not include gallivanting off to have adventures in the Emerald City," Gwyn snapped impatiently.

"Hers do," he retorted simply. "To Elphaba coming here was just running away. We've both enjoyed the safety we found here, and this is our home now. But it was not fair of me to ask her to stay here forever when she had unfinished business left in Oz. It took me two years, but I finally realized that it was destroying her to leave those responsibilities behind."

"What I don't understand," Gwyn began with careful precision, "Is why you both feel you still have responsibilities there? You are dead to the Ozians they killed you both. You owe them nothing."

"It's not just the Ozians, it's everyone. Don't you understand, no one is safe anymore! If those behind the problems in Oz win, then the Vinkus is no longer the haven it was two years ago. Once they find out this place exists then we'll be next."

"Who is 'they' Fiyero? What makes you and Elphaba so special that you know who 'they' are and how to stop them?"

"We're at the middle of it, it started with us," he tried to explain, knowing he didn't know the answer to her question exactly himself. "Well, maybe it didn't start with us, but we got thrown into the thick of it. We never really explained what happened when Elphaba left Shiz and I joined the guard. I regret that now, but I don't have the time to fix it."

"This doesn't resolve the fact that you're supposedly dead."

"Fiyero Tiggular is dead," Fiyero corrected. "But Scarecrows, fortunately, are harder to kill."

He lifted the flap on one of his saddle bags and tugged at something inside, pulling it out just enough to reveal what it was: A burlap mask and floppy, green hat.

"And you think you can save the world? The Scarecrow and the Wicked Witch? The Hero and the Nightmare of the Ozian citizens?"

"No," He answered grimly. "But I'd like to believe that with a little help, two very good witches can."

"Two?" Gwyn asked confused, she'd been under the impression that Elphaba was one of a kind.

"Two," Fiyero confirmed with a wan grin, knowing that mentioning that Glinda the Good was the second witch he spoke of would bring on a whole new slew of questions that he didn't have the time to answer.

It was obvious Gwyn was prepared to press the issue, but he didn't give her a chance. He relatched the clasp on the bag and swept up his cloak.

"I'll see you soon," he said quickly, dropping a kiss to her cheek.

"No goodbye?"

"Goodbye's are overrated," he shot back with a roguish grin. "But send everyone my love and wish me luck."

Gwyn returned the grin with a thin smile as he vaulted onto his midnight speed and set out of the barn at a run. He looked back once she noticed, his azure eyes glinting their unspoken farewell before he turned back, his attention focused solely on the task of getting to the Emerald City as quickly and safely as possible. Gwyn pulled her crimson overcloak tighter around herself as she walked to the barn door, standing just under the frame and watching until her son raced through the gates and disappeared into the streets of Loryntium.

-0-0-

Sander Ashby was extremely glad that his shift was nearly over. Working the night swing had never been his favorite post; the fact that he'd been door guard didn't help. Dawn had come and gone several hours ago, not that anyone could tell. It was pouring rain, which was worse than the snow and for once he was grateful for the thick material used in the uniform for Palace guards.

"Thinkin' warm thoughts Ashby?" One of his fellow guards, and friends, Thor Miquel asked from his own post across the staircase.

"You bet your life," Sander shot back. "We still on for the Ozball game tonight?"

Miquel was no longer listening however; his attention was focused on the gate two acres down the road.

"Are we expecting anybody through the front today?"

"No," Sander replied, moving down to where his friend stood for a better view of the gate. "Not till this evening, Mira Priesley's coming to start on the decorations for New Year's Fest."

"Is she early?"

"That's not her carriage."

By this time the mystery carriage had been allowed entrance and was nearing the entrance steps. The only distinguishing thing about it was the fact that it was horseless. It made its way through the onslaught of rain as if pushed by a ghost wind. At last the baffling contraption rolled to a halt at the foot of the stairs, still and silent except for the sound of heavy drops hitting the wood and glass.

Ashby and Miquel both waited for some one to step out, but after a full minute it was obvious that there wasn't even any movement from inside. The two young soldiers cautiously made their way down the steps, weapons drawn and aware of the rest of the guards closing, unseen, around the front doors of the Palace.

"Hallo in there!" Sander called loudly over the din of the storm, rapping forcefully on the door. No response. He nodded to Thor who moved into position across from him, gun leveled and ready to fire as Sander tugged the latch and pulled the door open.

From eyelevel it appeared that the carriage was empty but the two soldiers looked down and discovered the lone passenger.

Sander took one good look before turning on his heel and dashing back up the steps into the palace.

Miquel continued to stare at the crumpled form on the floorboards. It was Kristian Marvel, though it was hard to tell. The leader's face was purple with bruises; the worst of them were raised and split, leaking bodily fluids. His clothes were ripped and stained with blood in places, caked with it in others. He was alive, but just barely.

------------

"Lady Glinda! Lady Glinda!" Ashby shouted as he tore into the residence corridor. By this time several other guards had joined him, and a few more were waiting to intercept anyone trying to enter the private quarters of the royal family. "What are you doing? Fetch a Healer!" He shouted to his colleagues before resuming his pounding on the heavy doors. "Lady Glinda!"

"What in Oz is going on?" The doors at last opened and a diminutive and aging woman filled the space, she was livid at the intrusion and made no attempt to hide it until she discovered whom it was. Behind the woman Ashby could see the young ruler of Oz cradling her newborn son, wearing a confused expression.

"Lady Glinda!" He gasped once more, slightly out of breath by now and coming out of the shock of his purpose. "Come quickly!"

Through the doors Glinda paused, but at last handed the baby to someone Sander couldn't see and exited with him.

----------

Elphaba watched her best-friend leave, for a second she rocked Valin, since Glinda had left him in her care. But finally her curiosity got the better of her and she handed the baby to his stunned grandmother and set off after the group. The halls were now deserted, but she was feeling just reckless enough not to care whether they were or not.

----------

"What is it? What's happened?" She demanded, chasing after him as he broke once more into a run.

"No time to explain, just hurry!"

Glinda had to gather up her skirts and kick off her heeled shoes to keep up with him, but she managed to despite the difference in height. She didn't pause or question when they reached the main doors and Ashby dashed out without prologue, simply following clear out to the cobblestone steps and then down, though she was without out protection against the frigid rain.

-----------

Elphaba paused at the door, hesitating when she saw the crowd of people at the foot of the steps. She watched as best she could through the cracked door, but she couldn't really see what was happening. There was a shriek, followed by sobs that she recognized as Glinda's. Immediately all hesitance and caution she harbored melted away and the green woman darted into the rain, uncaring of the consequences.

-----------

At last the novice guard stopped before a carriage she didn't recognize. More guards and two healers surrounded it but they all parted for Glinda to get through. She looked confused by their solemn expressions but as she at last got close enough to see what all the fuss was about clarity hit her like a ton of bricks. Her hand went to her mouth but not before a despaired wail escaped her perfect lips. Bile rose in her throat and tears of horror filled her eyes.

"Oh Lurline…"

**Sorry cliffhanger, mwa ha ha ha ha. Thanks for reading, and again thanks for being patient with me. I'll have more soon, but reviews will definitely help speed the process up (hint hint). By the way for those who care, the chapter title is Norwegian for Good News and Bad News (according to the net translator I used anyway). Til neste tid.**


	17. Homecoming

**Ever After**

**Homecoming**

**Thanks to all who've reviewed, especially those who have gone out of their way to bug more than once to update. I'm determined to finish this just for you. Danke Shoen.**

* * *

"_Oh Lurline."_

Fear laced Glinda's voice and her features as her horrified gaze fell on the figure in the carriage. For a moment, silence shattered the chaos. Time seemed to freeze as guards and Healer alike stopped their frantic rush to get to the carriage and open it completely before she arrived. As she slowly descended the final few steps in shock, they parted a path to the carriage and stood stock-still and silent while she passed.

She stopped before she reached it, not sure she could really deal with what she would find. So instead of stepping closer she stood, as if paralyzed, staring at the broken form that was vaguely recognizable as her husband.

"My Lady, at the risk of sounding flippant, we need to get him out so we can see what we're dealing with." The Healer said carefully from behind her.

Glinda nodded mechanically and the men took it as their signal to resume their hurried work. They cautiously pulled Kris out, gently placing his rag-doll body on a board that would serve as a stretcher.

"He's alive?" Glinda finally dared to ask as the Healer worked.

"Yes," the Healer replied without looking up from his examination. He began to rattle off his conclusions in little more than a mutter. "Seems to be no broken bones, but with all these contusions I can't for certain whether or not his ribs are broken. I suspect he has a fairly severe concussion to go with these lacerations across his forehead."

He turned away from his unconscious patient to rummage through his bag, coming up with a tiny bottle that hardly seemed capable of handling the situation at hand.

"I'm going to try to revive him," He explained absently. "When he's awake I'll be able to tell bad the concussion is and possibly give him something for the pain and the swelling."

Everyone stared in morbid fascination as the Healer pulled the stopper from the bottle and held it beneath Kris's nose. Even Elphaba, who hadn't been spotted yet, watched, hopeful that this was the beginning of the end, that Kris's relatively safe return signaled that things were finally going their way in this awful battle.

It took several tries but finally life made a shuddering return to Kristian Marvel. Most of the small crowd gathered around him sagged in relief, though Glinda still looked incredibly anxious. The Healer seemed relieved but he was preoccupied with making sure that it was time to stop worrying. As soon as he came-to, Kris's piercing green eyes clouded with pain.

He tried to sit up but the Healer pushed him back. He tried to speak, but the words word muddled by pain and came out as only a groan.

Glinda sucked in a sharp breath and crossed to his side. She knelt by his prone form, and took his right hand in both of her own. Her thumbs traced soothing circles on the surface of the one part of his body that wasn't battered and viciously bruised.

"Miss…me…?" He wheezed, when the shock of pain wore off, prying both eyes open just enough to look at his wife. Tears slipped through her eyelashes as a half-laugh, half-sob fell past her lips. "Take that…as a…yes?"

Glinda nodded not trusting her voice to make it through a single word.

"I'm sorry My Lord," The Healer butted in between them, shining a light into Kris's eyes and pulling them open enough to examine his pupil's properly.

Kris didn't fight as the Healer continued to poke and prod, instead he focused his attention on his wife, who was resolutely clinging to his hand as if he was about to be taken from her once more and doing so was the only thing to prevent it. A lump began to grow in his throat as her tears came into focus and the weary sobs she was trying so hard to silence became more and more apparent.

The sight was one of the worst punishments he could think of for himself. The prominent ache Glinda had borne for months was painted across her beautiful features for him to see, despite her attempts to hide it. She'd never been able to keep anything from him for long, her eyes always gave her away, saying everything she tried not to. Now they spoke of the pain she'd felt when he was literally ripped from her. Then the bittersweet news that she was pregnant with their child. The sorrow that built after every disappointing effort to bring him home. The consuming feeling of loneliness that she'd battled as she tried to move forward with life and keep herself from falling to pieces if only for the sake of her people and the baby she was carrying.

But he deserved it. He deserved to see everything he'd put her through written out before him. He deserved to feel guilty for it, to be disgusted with himself for having taken part in hurting her. He deserved to be lying on the flat board that served as the healer's gurney, beaten and broken and bruised.

He didn't deserve her grief, or the gratitude she felt to have him home. He didn't deserve the love that she exuded as she tenderly stroked his hand, or his hair. Or the worry she showed as she fussed over the healers as they dressed his wounds, or her requests that he be given anesthetics as soon as possible.

Grateful as he was for the painkillers, he preferred not having them. If he had the physical aches to deal with he could ignore the heartache, both the one he'd caused Glinda, and the one he felt as she held his hand, soothing his wounds, blissfully ignorant of all he'd done to her. He could ignore the fact that the last thing she owed him was her tears.

But he couldn't summon up the courage or the strength to tell her that just yet. So instead he carefully, purposefully pulled his hand away from her own and reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes as the medics finished their work.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Glinda's brow furrowed as she caught the words.

"What?" she asked, placing her hand on his once more. The words were so unexpected she couldn't think of anything else to say.

But it wasn't the time for explanations.

"That's all we can do here," the Healer announced, interrupting the exchange between the two Marvels. "We'll take him up to the hospital wing for further medication and observation, but I think the final verdict is that he'll recover completely and quickly."

Glinda allowed Kris's hand to slide from hers as the Healer and a guard lifted the makeshift gurney. She stood quickly to follow the entourage into the palace. A lot too quickly. For a moment the sea of green and white around her spun madly before blurring into darkness. She felt herself falling, but hadn't the energy or means to stop herself. Vague voices shouted in response but she couldn't decipher them as she toppled towards the stony steps below.

Strangely she never hit them, strong arms grasped her from behind but after that she wasn't conscious enough to remember what happened next.

* * *

As the guards and Healer made it more apparent that they intended to move Kris up into the castle Elphaba realized that though she hadn't, by some stroke of luck, been spotted yet, but that if she didn't find someplace to hide she was going to be. She knew they'd notice her if she'd tried to make it back into the castle, probably before she made it to the top of the steps, so instead she silently ducked behind the foreign carriage Kris had arrived in. If her luck held out they'd all go in with Glinda and Kris, and she could find a servant's entrance to sneak into.

She watched from her precarious vantage point as Glinda and her husband shared a tentative reunion, while the healers finished their work and packed their supplies. She couldn't hear the quiet exchange but as the guards lifted Kris's stretcher she saw the confusion that graced Glinda's features and stayed as they pulled him away and up the stairs. Elphaba waited for her friend to follow the group, mentally urging her to hurry up so she could get herself out of this predicament.

It appeared however, that the Good Witch wasn't going anywhere.

"Glinda!" Elphaba hissed impatiently.

The blonde began to turn, but not in acknowledgement to Elphaba's verbal prodding, instead she seemed to waver as if stunned by some unseen force. Realization dawned on the green woman a split second before Glinda's strength failed her and she began to collapse.

Elphaba darted from her makeshift sanctuary up the few stairs to Glinda's side, barely managing get behind her before she dropped to the stony steps below. She struggled with her best friend's limp body for what seemed like an eternity before finally managing to keep her upright. Not that it would matter.

Seconds after Elphaba lost her cover she was seen. The lieutenant had turned in time to see her step behind the Good Sorceress and 'capture' her. He was yelling for backup even before Elphaba had managed to find her balance with Glinda's added weight. Three additional guards burst past the medics hauling Kristian through the doors; they had rifles at the ready. Of course they couldn't use them against her, not when Glinda was conveniently blocking them from a clear shot.

Elphaba went into flight mode, realizing that any fight would put Glinda at risk of getting hurt and despite whatever the guards may have thought she refused to do that. She quickly but carefully let Glinda slip from her arms to the stony steps before she dashed back behind the carriage. Knowing that it wouldn't protect her from the advancing guards for longer than a few seconds she considered her options. Running across the yard to get into the city was out of the question; they'd shoot her down before she made it to the opposite curb.

Frantically she glanced about, hoping to spot something she could defend herself with. There was nothing in any direction but a few distant bushes. Without her broom going up wasn't an option…or…maybe… Without another thought she grabbed the carriage door, and shimmied up the side, using the wheel and the window for footholds. Once she was on top she didn't wait for the guards (who'd rounded the edges of the contraption by now) to figure out where she'd disappeared to. She leapt of the opposite side, landing soundly above Glinda's (still unconscious) head, barely sparing a glance to the blonde before racing up the steps back into the castle; once she was inside there would be enough secret passages and hidey-holes that she might be able to escape her pursuers.

The monolithic foyer was gloriously empty of any guards and, not for the first time since her arrival, Elphaba was grateful that the Palace was running on nearly no staff at all. The medics and other few guards had already disappeared up the one of the hallways heading for the hospital wing, no reinforcements had shown up yet, but she doubted that would last long. She stared around the huge room; there were four separate hallways and a staircase leading out of the room. She searched back through dustiest corners of her memory, trying to remember where the nearest servant's passage was located. Once upon a time she'd have been able to recall the exact floor plan (both the known and unknown) to the palace, but she'd hardly expected to need the information again.

Finally she decided the corridor to furthest to the left was the wisest choice and veered towards it. Behind her, her four pursuers followed, the clack of their boots echoing ominously through the foyer. The corridor seemed to go on for infinity, with its green panels and endless row of mirrors, but if she remembered correctly the fifth mirror on the right would slide away for a direct route into the kitchens and from there she could work her way through the hidden labyrinth into the attic.

"_Obviam,"_ she hissed a spell as she approached the mirror. She didn't bother to stop; she _knew_ this was the one. The paneling slid aside, leaving just enough room for her to slip through.

Out in the hallway the guards skidded to a stop, wondering where in Oz the Witch could have gone now.

"Maybe she magicked herself out," one suggested breathlessly, though his gaze continued to flit over every surface of the hall, looking for any evidence that the green woman was still there.

The lieutenant, his superior, wasn't about to believe she'd gotten away so easily. Transporting spells were simple and left distinctive traces, usually smoke or at the very least splotches of burn marks where excess power had landed. Besides that they were rarely capable of transporting the initiator great distances.

"No," he said definitively, bringing his rifle up and pointing to the novice soldier who'd made the comment. "Take the south staircase up to the watch towers and tell them to be on the lookout for the Witch." He turned to the second man. "You, go and see to it that Her Goodness is taken to the hospital wing and you," He pointed to the third and last man, "come with me; we're taking the express route to the attic."

By 'express route' he meant a hidden corridor that was very similar to the one Elphaba herself had taken. Except that his route went virtually straight up to the attic, rather than winding through various floors of the Palace.

When the two guards arrived they found the attic silent and dark and devoid of a certain Witch.

"Are you sure this is where she's headed," the junior officer asked uncertainly.

"It's the only place for her to go. Look, there's her broom in the corner. She'll be here," The Lieutenant replied confidently. "Get between me and the window. Stay out of sight until I tell you to move or until you have to. And remember you'll be the last thing between the Wicked Witch and freedom."

He handed the younger officer a damp cloth and motioned him away.

"Sir?"

"It's halothane; Glinda will want her alive, and I doubt we have anything in our arsenal that could stop her besides," The Lieutenant explained in a rush. "Now do as you were told!"

The two men hid in the dark shadows of the attic, both armed with their drug-covered cloths and prepared to fight the Witch.

Elphaba burst through the attic door, hoping against hope that the guards following her were still downstairs, baffled by her sudden disappearance. But knowing that even if they were, she wasn't out of danger yet. Glinda's guard seemed to be slightly more intelligent than the Wizard's had been. They'd probably alerted watchtowers to look out for her, which would make flying out difficult but not impossible.

The broom she'd left in the corner from her first trip back to the Emerald City was still resting in the corner of the attic. She shut the door as quietly as she could, hoping the guards on the floor below couldn't hear the creak of the floorboards, and ran for the broom.

She wasn't even halfway across the room when a dark mass sprang from the shadows. She didn't have time to react as it hit her, sending her sprawling to the floor near the trap door. The blow left her dazed, giving her attacker time to get an arm around her neck and another across her arms. Elphaba thrashed against him, clawing at his arms, desperately trying to get him to loosen his grasp around her neck so she could breathe enough to cast a spell –any spell.

"_Sollievo_," She gasped desperately, using the last of her ebbing strength to gather the magic for her spell. _"Sollievo_!"

She could feel focus words building power but it wasn't happening fast enough. Her vision was already splotchy, and she felt dizzy. At this rate the guard would suffocate her before she could release the magic.

From the shadows near the window the second guard watched, waiting for the other's signal. He realized that his superior was never going to be able to hold onto the Witch and knock her out at the same time. Each passing second was one more for her to magick herself away. Finally he ignored his orders and moved in, avoiding the Witch's kicking feet.

Elphaba saw the second guard coming for her but was too occupied with the first and her own lack of oxygen to care. The first saw his subordinate move from the shadows, their eyes met and he silently urged the younger man to act.

To his credit the second did, bringing up his cloth to the Witch's mouth without hesitation. As soon as the cloth touched her green skin the first relinquished his grip on her neck the tiniest bit. Elphaba sucked in a frantic gulp of air, not even registering the presence of the damp material pressed against her mouth and nose until it was too late.

She hissed angrily as she realized what was happening but was helpless by then to do anything. A clock-tik later she went limp in the guard's arms. A loud crack echoed through the airy attic, and a wave of blue lightning danced from Elphaba's unconscious fingertips. Startled the guard finally released his grip, dropping her heavily to the floor. When she didn't move again, he nudged her with the tip of his boot, just to be sure she wasn't waiting to try some of her hocus pocus again.

"Well done soldier," the Lieutenant said, satisfied that she was really out cold. "Let's get her down to a cell in the prison ward. She won't be out for long, but the Healers will have something that will put her under for a while."

* * *

As soon as Glinda and Kristian were both settled into the hospital wing a guard was sent to the residency to inform Amnestria, Calpurnia and Mork of what had happened. The trio had practically bowled the nervous cadet over in their haste to get up to the hospital wing and see the young couple themselves.

When they entered the main room they found it in a state of mild chaos. The Healer who had been on call since Valin's birth was bustling about the room snatching gauze, balms, and other medical supplies from cabinets before rushing back to Kris to work. For his part Kris was doing his best to remain awake while the healer worked. Between the anesthetics and his own exhaustion it was proving to be harder than he'd have liked.

Glinda had been placed on the bed next to her husband's. Amnestria was please to see that she hadn't been put in a stark hospital gown once more. The blue dress she'd been wearing when she'd run out of the residency had been traded for a simpler, drier, white one. She looked angelic, resting on the bed, with her golden hair haloed around her on the white linens.

Amnestria went straight to her daughter, sitting gently on the bedside as she watched her sleep.

"She collapsed from exhaustion," the Healer said; without looking up from the stitches he was putting in the worst of the cuts on Kris's forehead. "She'll probably wake up in a few hours, but she'll need to take it easy for a few days." Then he added in a slightly quieter but much more arrogant tone, "I told her she needed to slow down and give herself time to recuperate from everything but she's next to impossible to reason with."

He still hadn't looked up from his work so he didn't see the fiery glares Amnestria and Calpurnia sent his way. Mork, who was less inclined to bouts of blazing tempers than his wife or Glinda's mother, glanced at the healer with his jaw set tightly and a steely expression molding to his kind features.

"She'll be okay though right?" Kris wheezed sleepily from his bed, flinching at the pain the movement seemed to cause.

"If she takes it easy for the next week she'll probably be up and doing Oz knows how many things at once again in no time," the Healer replied offhandedly, tying the final knot in the stitches.

This seemed to pacify everyone. Amnestria went back to watching her daughter carefully, as if she could will her to heal and wake up faster. Calpurnia began to rock from side to side as she held the sleeping Valin.

The Healer finished wrapping the last of the bandages around Kris and gave him upped the dose of his painkillers enough that he finally nodded back off to sleep. Mork watched over them all like some eternal, protective father.

All was quiet in the hospital wing as the Healer cleared away their supplies and went into the adjoining room to put them away.

"Amnestria," Calpurnia began quietly ten minutes later. "Why don't you stay here with them for a while. We'll take Valin down to the residency, he'll wake up soon and he'll want to-

The bundle in her arms suddenly struggled against her, woke up and instantly began screaming bloody murder.

"What in Oz?!" Mork asked loudly over the infant's wails, startled by the sudden earth-shattering noise.

"He must've had a nightmare," Calpurnia muttered, quickly bringing the tiny child up to rest comfortably over her shoulder and she began to whisper soothingly in his ear. Ignoring the goose bumps that rose over her skin in a wave as she did. "Shhhhh…"

From their separate beds, both his parents began to stir. First Glinda began to struggle out of the clutches of sleep, and then Kris.

"Maybe you oughta take him out Cal," Mork suggested, concerned. "Whatever it is he probably shouldn't wake them up. It'd be quite a shock to Kris, and apparently Glinda needs her rest."

But it was too late. Glinda shot up in her bed as if whatever had woken Valin had woken her as well. She was up and out of her bed before Mork could even finish his sentence.

"My Lady," the Healer protested as he came back into the room to see what the commotion was and saw Glinda on her feet. "You really shouldn't-

He was cut off by an abrupt change in illumination as every source of light flickered out at once. Seconds later they all sparked back to life with a vehemence that startled everyone. Meanwhile Valin's screams only grew louder.

Glinda ignored the healer and didn't bother with any niceties as she crossed the short distance to Calpurnia and took her son from her friend's arms. Waves of magic rolled from the tiny boy who was barely a week old. She remembered reading something about infants whose powers were revealed in dangerously powerful paroxysms, but she'd never thought she'd have to deal with such a thing so she hadn't paid much attention. Now she desperately wished she had as she tried to recall what exactly she was supposed to do to stop her son from hurting himself or someone else.

"Where's Elphaba?" She demanded, not caring that not everyone was privy to the current status of the Witch of the West.

Calpurnia, Mork and her mother all donned frustratingly pensive looks, while the Healer was completely oblivious.

"We haven't seen her since she followed you out of the residency." Calpurnia said finally, yelling over Valin's thunderous wails.

"Damn it."

"My Lady, " The Healer tried again," I really must insist you get back in bed. Let somebody else take your son and calm him down I-

"_Shut up!" _Glinda hissed with such ferocity that the Healer practically shied away from her.

She wanted to send someone after Elphaba, knowing that the green woman would invariably know what to do, but Valin's tantrum was only growing in strength and she didn't have time. She'd have to help him by herself.

Glinda ignored the words of the others in the room and even the shrieks of the infant in her arms and concentrated on the magical tempest seething from him. The magic was different than anything she'd ever felt before, or maybe it was just that she'd never felt magic that way. Normally she used a wand to touch the ambiguous energy, but now it was a tide washing over her. Angry waves centered around the baby in her arms, joining the tide that encompassed _everything_.

It seemed only natural then to reach out and touch it. So she did; and promptly realized she hadn't done it _physically_ but _mentally. _The current rippled at her touch and compelled by curiosity she nudged it more, towards the gnarled magic that surrounded her son. It broke through the snarls, forcing the tendrils to part and flow back into the normal current. It wasn't enough she knew, even when she pushed harder the current wasn't strong enough to unravel the knot, it just tangled itself again before she could shove it away.

Somewhere in a corner of her mind that was still in touch with the real world she could hear Valin's shrieks getting more desperate and her friends getting more worried, she pushed it further back from her thoughts and put all of her focus on the tempest Valin was twisting around himself in his distress. There was something at the center of it. Something completely separate from the power she was surrounded by, or that channeled by the paroxysm. It was almost familiar, but at the same time warped beyond recognition; errant and treacherous.

It dawned on her that the paroxysm wasn't the problem; it was the only way Valin had to protect himself against the rogue magic. It just wasn't enough for him to dispel it. But _she _could.

She abruptly stopped swirling the current around the knot and shoved it directly at the center, wrapping it around the wad of rogue magic and tugging it away from her son. It seemed to resist, but Glinda's magical lasso remained firm and pulled it back into the current, forcing it to seep back in. When it was gone Valin quit his knotting fit and she gently nudged the tide again, dismantling the paroxysm easily this time.

Slowly Glinda pulled her consciousness in, and slid back into reality. Valin's wails had died down, and all that remained of his distress was a few hiccupped sobs that seemed to insure that he would continue to be taken care of. Her blood thundered in her ears her breath came in short, relieve gasps but it didn't matter. Valin was safe.

"Oh, my sweet boy," she whispered as she rained kisses over his downy head.

When her breathing returned to normal and her heart resumed its normal rhythym Glinda's attention shifted from her now-quiet son to the others who were watching her closely.

It was the Healer who spoke first, though his confidence wavered a little as he addressed the diminutive ruler of Oz.

"My Lady," he began carefully. "If all is now well I really must insist that you get some rest. You've exhausted yourself far too much already and I doubt that whatever you just did could be called relaxing."

Glinda bit back the sharp reply that sprang to her tongue and simply asked, "Is Kristian well enough to be moved to our chambers in the residency?"

"Well yes, I-

"See to it that he's moved. I don't want any of us to spend any more time in this room than absolutely necessary."

"Right away ma'am. I'll return here for the night and if all goes well won't be back to check on you both until morning," The Healer seemed finally able to accept his dismissal "But would you please make sure you get adequate rest this evening, I'd hate to have to impose a leave of absence on you to begin the new year."

Glinda glared at him, but made her promise.

When the Healer had gone from the room in search of a guard to help him move Chris, Glinda turned to Mork.

"I'm taking Valin back to the residency to finish his nap, if Elphie's not in the residency would you mind looking for her? I'd like to talk her."

"Certainly," Mork replied, the remnants of his awe at her display of the past few minutes showing in his voice and expression.

Somewhere between the hospital wing and the residency Valin dozed off again and Glinda relaxed into the warm weight of her baby against her shoulder. She knew if she wasn't careful she'd collapse again, and she knew she wasn't quite recovered from the nervous breakdown she'd had the night before but for one moment all was right. Her husband was home, safe and healing. Her son was fine, and apparently very talented –she couldn't wait to tell Elphie. For the first time in six months things seemed completely right. It didn't matter that Morrible was still out there because her family was home and safe, and her best friend was there to help her.

Unfortunately the perfect setting was about to be shattered. As the small group descended a staircase and came to a crossroads in the corridor a deformed shadow crept along the walls of a far hallway. Glinda paused, uncertainty rearing its horrible face in her once more. She turned slightly, so that her body was between her son and the mystery in the corridor. She wished she'd waited for the medic and guard before setting out through the all too empty halls of the Palace. Her mother, Calpurnia and Mork flanked around her, watching the shadow apprehensively as it first grew larger in the torchlight and then smaller, becoming more distinct as it stalked toward them.

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief as two Palace guards emerged from the hallways, broad grins on their faces. The relief was short-lived however, as the source of their distorted shadow became apparent. Each man had the arm of a woman draped around his shoulders as they half carried; half dragged her down the halls.

"Elphaba," Glinda gasped before she could stop herself. Watching in horror as the guards brought the limp form forward, like two cats that had caught a particularly pesky mouse and now expected praise.

It was Amnestria who stepped in before Glinda could do anything stupid. She laid a hand on her daughter's arm.

"Wait," she said in a hushed tone. "Take care of Valin and Kris first. She'll be all right in the medical wing for the time being."

With effort (that she hoped wasn't obvious) Glinda repressed her desire to tell the guards to release and revive her friend immediately and addressed them in a way, which would be less shocking.

"Take her to ward one, I'll see to her in the morning."

Ward one was the most comfortable of the hospital wing's prison cells. Generally reserved for political prisoners. Unconscious or not, Glinda couldn't bare the thought of her best friend being thrown into one of the less posh cells.

"M'Lady," the officer said. "We were going to have the healer give her something to keep her from waking for a period of time. We don't want her waking up and magicking herself out."

Glinda knew Elphaba couldn't –and wouldn't- magic her way out of a windowless room, but that was another comment that would have less-than-desirable consequences.

"Fine," she choked out. "Nothing stronger than normal anesthesia, I don't want her incapacitated when I question her tomorrow. Give me twelve hours."

"Galinda-

"Twelve hours, I'll be by in the morning," Glinda said firmly. Her mother backed down. The guards seemed to be waiting for something –praise most likely- when it was obvious Glinda wouldn't be giving any they saluted smartly and marched away.

Glinda set her jaw and without a look to her companions stormed off towards the residency, promising herself she wouldn't do a thing until she got there. Until Valin had been tucked into his crib for the remainder of his nap and she could quietly throw a fit in private.

She was glad she didn't have much further to go. The last strands of composition she possessed were slipping away though she clung to them desperately.

At last the doors of the residency loomed ahead of her. The two guards who'd resumed their positions there saw her expression and hastily opened the door before stepping aside. Glinda breezed through without so much as a glance their way and strode straight to her bedroom.

She did her best to blink back the tears gathering in her eyes as she laid her son in his crib and tucked a fleecy blanket snugly around him. She dropped one more airy kiss to his tiny forehead before pulling away. She didn't go far; instead she let herself sag against the bedside next to the cradle and allowed her tears to come. They blazed silent trails down her cheeks and she made no effort to wipe them away as she tried to the events of the day not overwhelm her completely.

She wondered how Elphaba had managed to get herself caught. She was supposed to be waiting in the residency, the strict regulation of people allowed into the royal apartments were there to protect her as much as Valin. This wasn't supposed to happen!

And she had no idea how to fix it. Now that it had been discovered that the Wicked Witch of the West was still alive there was very little Glinda could do to keep it under wraps. There would have to be a trial. While Glinda knew that there wasn't much evidence of Elphaba's apparent crimes, there also wasn't a lot of evidence to clear her name and the people of Oz had been totally swayed by Morrible's slander. There would be mobs of people demanding an execution, if the guards didn't 'accidentally' get to it first.

A knock sounded at the door ad two guards; the Healer and Mork stepped cautiously through. Glinda quickly stood and brushed at the tears on her cheeks, collecting the remnants of her dignity. The guards discreetly focused on the gurney they carried transferring the sleeping Kris to the bed as the Healer directed them. They finished and with brief nods to the others they retreated from the room.

For a moment Mork, Glinda and the Healer just stared at one another. Glinda's gaze was set on the Healer and almost defiant, as if she were daring him to comment on the obvious signs that she'd been crying. For a moment the Healer looked as if he might indeed say something. But the combined glares of Glinda and Mork convinced him otherwise and he simply gave a short bow and followed the guards out the door.

When he was gone Mork turned his sympathetic gaze to the small blonde.

"Cal thought you'd want us to go up and check on Elphaba," He said quietly. "Do ya need anythin'?"

Glinda shook her head. "No, thanks you."

Mork wavered uncertainly before stepping forward and wrapping her in a firm hug.

Glinda fought more tears as she welcomed the embrace. She leaned on her old friend, doing her best to pull herself together.

"Despite wha'cha might think there's a way to fix things and you're the one who's going to find it," he said confidently.

"How?" Glinda mumbled desolately; pulling away and craning her neck to look up at him. "I'm not a fixer, I never was. That was Elphie's forte. And now she's not here to tell me what to do."

"Don't shortchange yourself m'dear. You've managed to fix a few things without her," Mork's eyes twinkled as he spoke. "You sleep a bit and things will work themselves out for ya."

"I haven't fixed anything, not really. I've just made it look like I have."

"I'm not gonna stand her aruin' with ya when you need your rest. But I'd make a good wager that you'll have a plan in a jiffy. You've always been a little sneaky that way."

With that he too left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Leaving Glinda to sort out what he meant. She sniffled and wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. She was to tired to cry anymore, or think through the cook's riddles. She leaned against the bed again, listening intently to the sound of her son and her husband breathing, almost in unison except Valin had to take three breaths for each of Kris's.

She knew it wouldn't be long before Valin would wake up, anxious for dinner. But until then she wanted nothing more than to curl up next to Kris and fall asleep. So she did. Careful not to bump Kris she climbed up next to him, rested her head on the pillow near his and surrendered to her exhaustion once more.

* * *

The gray sky was growing darker and night was settling over the Emerald City when the Gate Keeper posted at the back Palace entrance looked up from his crossword to see a figure on horseback approaching. The heavy rain made it impossible to discern the features of the figure until his was literally at the gate. The Keeper was shocked to find that the rider was a Scarecrow.

Gathering his wits he went out to meet him.

"I need to see Glinda the Good," The Scarecrow declared abruptly before the Keeper could say anything.

"You'll have to write in a request for an audience and comeback later," The Keeper answered firmly. "Her Goodness isn't seeing anyone before the end of the holiday."

"She'll want to see me," The Scarecrow replied confidently.

"She isn't seeing _anyone_," The Keeper repeated, emphasizing his words with a sharp glare.

Fiyero glared right back from behind his mask. He could tell this particular Gate Keeper was the sort that could be bluffed out. So he firmed his resolve and lied through his teeth.

"I have urgent news regarding the return of her husband. She'll _want_ to see me."

The Keeper blanched, his confidence suddenly gone. Glinda wasn't holding audiences he knew, and wasn't making exceptions. But if this Scarecrow had information about His Highness he was sure she'd take the time to hear it.

"Fine," He said after an eternity. He went into the gatehouse briefly and when he reappeared he gestured to a rider coming from the palace toward the gate. "Sven will take you inside, then you can convince the Captain to let you talk to Glinda."

Fiyero nodded. When 'Sven' reached the gate the Keeper swung it slowly open and allowed Fiyero through. Sven nodded to both of them and gestured to Fiyero to follow him before turning his horse sharply to gallop back to the castle.

"Thanks," Fiyero told the gatekeeper before spurring his horse after Sven.

* * *

**AN: Um…hehe, hi! I am so sorry this took so long! I promise the next chapter won't take eight months. In fact I have half of it written so in theory by Sunday there will be more, but we'll see because my play starts this week (yikes). Reviews make my life and force me to finish this thing despite time demands :D. **


	18. Flight to Egypt

**Ever After**

**Flight To Egypt**

**Thanks to those of you who continue to review, your feedback means the world to me.

* * *

**

Fiyero followed Sven into the Emerald Palace and through the labyrinth of halls. It was like stepping back in time. It was obvious Glinda had changed a few things since taking up the throne, a tapestry or picture here and there had been replaced, flower vases and contemporary sculptures had taken up residence where bronze busts of historical figures had stood. But for the most part the Palace was exactly as he remembered. If he hadn't known better he would have expected to find Kris or Glinda flying around a corner, looking for a thrill or evading capture for a practical joke.

"Anything familiar sir?" Sven asked, noticing that everything seemed to be the focus of Fiyero's attention.

"A few things I think," Fiyero replied, remembering that he was still masquerading as a Scarecrow who had a very limited visit to the Palace.

"The halls all look the same. It's probably easier to remember places like the throne room," Sven said, not unkindly.

Fiyero could tell he wasn't one of the regular guards; they were trained to avoid conversation. He was probably on the royal security detail, it was his job to ask subtle, probing questions to determine whether his companion was a threat or not. He was also deliberately leading Fiyero in a ridiculously complex route to the residency to make it harder to remember where they were as well as gain more time for questioning.

"Well, it's been so long. And the last time I was here I didn't have much time to admire the decorating," Fiyero said lightly, attempting to allay the guards suspicions.

"Right," Sven replied in a less impersonally friendly tone.

They turned down another corridor, one that led much more directly to the royal apartments, and Fiyero decided he was making progress.

Fifteen minutes later they were only one hall over from the residence. Fiyero was nearly at the end of his rope with the small talk layered with double meaning, when Sven stopped walking all together.

"Well Master Scarecrow, this is as far as I go. The Captain's posted around the corner, he'll be the one to decide if what you know is important enough to bother Glinda with. Good luck." With that Sven marched off, disappearing down another hallway. He didn't bother to mention which of the three possible corners the Captain was posted around.

Fiyero wondered why he hadn't gone further. Even if there were more guards just around the corner and hidden in various nooks and crannies it wasn't protocol to just leave a visitor so near a high security area. Unless the visitor claimed to have no idea where he was going and they were waiting to see if he was lying? He briefly wondered if the guards were testing him. If he went directly to the residence hall they'd guess he knew more about the inner workings of the Palace than he let on. If he wandered around aimlessly they might guess he was telling the truth, or lying to have a look around the palace. Either way he'd lose valuable time on explanations he'd rather not give without Glinda present to vouch for him. Elphaba was certainly worth the risk of going directly to the residency, but he wouldn't be much help if he were locked in an interrogation room.

He stood wondering what to do. No guards came out to assist him or carry him off. There was no indication of their presence at all in fact. Apparently Glinda preferred her security teams be less obvious than the Wizard's.

"Who are you?" A voice demanded from behind him. "What are you doing?"

"The guard left me here," Fiyero said, putting on his best 'I'm innocent' voice as he turned slowly around. "He said…Mork? Calpurnia?"

Relief filled Fiyero; he'd have bet most of Loryntium that the two could get him straight to Glinda. If he could convince them he was really Fiyero of course.

The relief, however, was short lived. Revealing himself as Fiyero might not be the best plan of action. He hadn't exactly been on the best terms with anyone at the Palace last time he checked. And Mork and Calpurnia had always been rather partial to Glinda. Even though things had turned out rather happily, Fiyero doubted he was on their 'favorite people' list.

"Who are you," Calpurnia demanded again.

"An old friend," Fiyero assured her. "I believe you have an extra witch residing here."

"What are you on about," Mork demanded, eyes narrowing.

Fiyero knew Mork and Calpurnia would know about Elphaba's presence, they'd have to. But he didn't want to come right out and say it when he knew there were hidden guards keeping a close eye and ear on them. He didn't want to unmask himself for the same reason, though it would be efficient.

"I believe," he said pointedly. "That my wife came for a visit to see her best friend and her new baby."

Realization dawned on Mork first.

"It can't be," he said quietly.

"It is. Take me somewhere more private and I'll prove it."

"What's her name?" Calpurnia asked, not trusting him.

"What?"

"Your wife, what's her name."

"I- the guards," Fiyero protested.

"Don't know her name," Calpurnia said firmly.

Fiyero sighed, "Elphaba, my wife is Elphaba."

"Fiyero?"

He nodded, not sure what to expect. He wasn't expecting Calpurnia to pull him into an embrace. It was a bit awkward; she was at least a foot and a half shorter than he, and his sudden nervousness wasn't helping anything.

"Hi," he said sheepishly, cautiously wrapping his arms around her.

"You couldn't have come at a better time," she mumbled, pulling away from him. "There may be hope for us yet."

Those weren't exactly the words Fiyero had hoped to hear.

"What? Why, what's wrong?"

"You'll see, we really shouldn't explain here," Calpurnia replied, taking hold of his arm and tugging him down a hallway. "C'mon, Glinda will need to see you right away."

"Glinda? What about Elpha-

"Hush, boy unless ya want the whole castle to get suspicious," Calpurnia commanded in the same tone she used to direct servants through state dinners. "We don't want guards to start snooping around anymore than they already are."

She refused to say anymore as she guided him firmly down the last stretch of corridor to the royal apartment. There were two guards posted outside, and Fiyero wondered if one of them was the Captain he was supposed to have chatted with. But neither guard hesitated to let Mork and Calpurnia past, even though they had a companion with them. Fiyero thought that was awfully smart of them, he wouldn't have argued with Calpurnia when she was in one of her determined moods either.

Once they were safely inside the residency Cal began tugging off Fiyero's cloak.

"Get that ridiculous mask off, and do something about that straw, I don't want it all over the apartment," She told him, pausing long enough to turn to her husband. "Mork go find out where Glinda is, Valin should be done with dinner by now. Tell her we have a guest she needs to see."

Mork strode off deeper into the apartment without protest.

"Cal," Fiyero said, stilling her fussing hands as she tried to tug his burlap mask off. "What's gone wrong? Where's Elphaba?"

Calpurnia sighed.

"In the prison ward of the hospital wing. She's not hurt," she quickly interjected before he could pitch a fit. "The guards caught her outside the residency somehow, they've put her to sleep until Glinda can decide what to do."

"Put her to sleep!"

Calpurnia nodded calmly, though she felt anything but. It wouldn't do to have him panic.

"Take your mask off. Are your clothes dry? You can borrow some of Kris's if you need to I'm sure-

"Calpurnia, stop!"

Fiyero angrily tugged off the mask, not caring about the soaked straw that scatter across the floor.

"There, I'm dry. Where's Glinda?"

"You can wait for her in the parlor."

"Thank you," he said briskly. "I'm sorry for being rude. This wasn't exactly the reunion I was hoping for."

"That seems to be the story these days," Calpurnia replied dejectedly. "C'mon, the parlor's this way."

* * *

Far away from the Emerald City, in a fortress carved from a canyon wall, Malendrian Morrible stood behind her desk. A smile cracked its way across her malevolent features as she listened intently to the man before her.

"…There was quite a disturbance just after Kristian arrived, unfortunately I couldn't find out more without risking my position. I thought it better to depart and report here before looking further into the matter."

"Excellent work Prime Minister," Morrible congratulated him. "Your choice was a wise one. I have no doubt that you'll be able to determine what to report on your next trip. I trust that the haste of your journey is due to the discovery of another portal?"

"Yes ma'am," Klondika replied smugly. "My agent discovered it only this morning, it takes several hours off the trip."

"Wonderful. That makes how many we've found now?"

"Six altogether ma'am. Two in the Emerald City, one in Shiz, the two that lead here, as well as one in Munchkinland. And he believes he's close to finding the location of one in the Vinkus."

"Good, have him focus on the ones that lead to and from the Emerald City, I have no need for the others until the City is ours."

"Very well. Good day to you ma'am."

Morrible waited for the heavy slate doors to shut behind Klondika before she sat down. It wasn't so much the Prime Minister's news that put her in such an amicable mood. The discovery of another portal would be helpful, and the tale of a disturbance at the palace piqued her curiosity just a bit. But it was a disturbance of another sort that lifted her black spirits. A _magical_ disturbance.

She suspected that anyone with an inkling of connection with the flow of magic throughout Oz would have felt it. To someone who'd spent years looking for the talent that caused such things, the disruption was quite obvious and remarkably powerful. It was the young Marvel babe it had to be. Only a child of two worlds could create such an uprising in the current. It proved that the child she had been seeking for so long was finally in her reach once more.

Hindsight taught her that Elphaba had been useless; she'd had too much time to shape herself. An infant would prove to be much more malleable. With little Valin as a hostage Oz would be hers in a matter of hours. With his powers at her disposal, her reign would last forever.

She looked out her broad window, across the craggy mountains towards the faint green glow on the southeast horizon and couldn't help the cackle that escaped her. The sound resembled nails on a chalkboard and was unpleasant even to her ears, but that didn't stop it from roiling away from her.

"Soon young Valin," She told that distant spot on the horizon, "you will be mine. And there will be nothing and no one to stop us."

* * *

"No!"

Kristian shot up from the downy comfort of his bed. His breath came in short gasps and he did his best to ignore the sharp pangs from the bruises in his side and the splitting feeling in his head.

It took a minute for his surroundings to sink in. He wasn't in Morrible's office at the fortress, listening to her crazy plans. He was in his own room at home for the first time in six months.

And there was a baby cry near the opposite side of the bed.

Careful of his bruises, Kris scooted himself across the bed so he could sit on the edge and peer down into the crib.

For a short, blissful moment the tiny boy stopped fussing altogether and just stared up at his father. Kris perused every perfect feature displayed on his son. Starting with his mesmerizing blue eyes, Glinda's eyes. But all babies had blue eyes; Kris wondered if they'd stay that way or if they'd take on a green tint when he was older. He definitely had Kris's nose though, and if the peach fuzz growing atop his head was any indication he'd have Glinda's golden hair. He was absolutely perfect.

After a few cautious moments of getting to know his father Valin decided that Kris wasn't doing anything about his hunger and began to wail again. Kris, who had no way of knowing that his son was simply hungry, hoped the apparent rejection was negotiable.

"Hey now," he murmured, picking the baby boy up carefully. "You'll like me once you get to know me I promise."

He crooned in Valin's ear, and hoped that Glinda would be back any second.

* * *

Predictably, Glinda and Fiyero's reunion after two years was somewhat less than ideal. Fortunately they'd managed to skip over the awkward part. Unfortunately that was because Glinda's guards had captured Elphaba.

"You're telling me," Fiyero began after Glinda had explained the situation," that my wife is unconscious in a hospital wing, waiting for an inevitable trial and possible execution and there's nothing you can do about it?"

"I didn't say that," Glinda corrected sharply. "I said I hadn't decided what to do about it, not that I couldn't do anything."

"Well you might want to start _deciding_."

"It's not that simple!"

"There's nothing complicated about it! Just pardon her and tell your guards to let her go!"

"I _can't_ the political ramifications-

"Social ramifications you mean," Fiyero countered. He was disappointed in her; he'd hoped she would have changed after two years. "For once in your life would you not worry about what other people think and just do what's right?'

"Don't you think I'm trying," Glinda snapped. "You might have been having a grand old time in your little safe haven, hidden, country. But Madame Morrible is terrorizing Oz, and if word gets out that the Wicked Witch of the West is back as well Morrible will have found one more crack in our defenses; _especially_ if I pardon Elphaba. People will stop trusting me and start believing they'll be safer letting Morrible have her way."

Fiyero hadn't thought of that.

"Well then don't pardon her, just let me take her home…people will just think she escaped."

"That doesn't inspire much confidence in my military's ability to protect and defend."

"Well there's got to be something, I'm running out of ideas."

"Good, then you finally see my dilemma."

Fiyero sighed, "Can't you deal with a little media backlash for your best friend?"

"If it were only that I would have had her revived and released already, you've got to believe me."

"Well then what if you use the media to your advantage? Elphaba has been at odds with Madame Morrible from the beginning. There'll be a little discomfort at first, but if people believe the enemy of their enemy is their friend. If people see Morrible as the enemy and The Witch of the West opposes her…"

"Then they'll be more inclined to believe Elphaba is their ally," Glinda finished, a little bit of hope crept into her eyes. But it quickly dwindled as she realized the downside to that scheme. "But Elphaba hasn't done anything to openly oppose Morrible yet, if we could portray her comeback as fighting Morrible it would be a lot easier. But nobody knows that she helped stop the flood, or that she stopped my attackers at Lurlinemas. Now we have to wait for Morrible to make another move for Elphaba to counter, and by then the news of her return will be out."

"Not necessarily," Fiyero said, convinced that this plan could work. "How many people know she's alive; a few of your most trusted guards and a healer? Put them under an oath of silence, and help me get Elphaba out tonight. You can arrange for the 'search' for the Witch to be absolutely secret. Then when Morrible attacks again, Elphaba will be there to help and you can have your press release. You just have to tweak the truth the media relays a bit, use Morrible's own methods against her."

Though Glinda felt sick at the thought of doing anything Morrible would -and had- done she had to admit Fiyero's scheme might work.

"How will you get her out? How will she know when to come back?" Glinda asked; there was too much at stake to not take into account everything that could go wrong. "I have my best security guards here now, and you'll have to take her clear back to the Vinkus to be safe. Even if she flies Morrible's attack could be too sudden for her to get back in time."

"If you can get me into the hospital wing and then to the throne room without getting caught I can get Elphaba back to the Vinkus before she even wakes up. And she has…I don't know how to explain it. It's a crystal ball; she's been using it since we left to keep an eye on you, that's how she knew to come on Lurlinemas. She'll know what's going on as soon as you do."

"How exactly do you plan to get from the throne room to the Vinkus and that doesn't solve the problem of her getting back in time."

"Portals," Fiyero started to explain. "There's one in the throne room that connects to the one in Kiamo Ko, there's another there that goes directly to the palace in Loryntium. As long as she can come out through the portal and not get caught right away she can use it to come back when it's time."

"Portals?"

"I don't really have time to explain but it _will_ work," Fiyero told her. "Will you do it? For her? For Oz even, with Elphaba's help you can get rid of Morrible, wasn't that the plan from the beginning? Wasn't that why she was staying here in the first place?"

"You don't have to treat me like a traitor, I already want to let her go," Glinda replied haughtily.

"Then do it!"

It sounded too good to be true. But if it worked they could defeat Morrible at her own game _and_ Elphie's name would be cleared. It was worth the risk.

She nodded finally, and Fiyero breathed a sigh of relief.

"The security shift will change at midnight, that gives you three and a half hours to get dried out and ready to go," Glinda told him. "I'll take you up to the hospital wing at half-eleven, we can tell the healer and the guards you're here to make sure the Witch doesn't escape again. I'll show you a hidden route to the throne room and hopefully you can make it out before the guards are in place."

"I haven't been very fair to you," Fiyero said humbly, finally realizing that Glinda truly had changed after all, and was outlining an actual plan of action with more savvy that he ever would have thought her capable of. "You're just trying to do what's best Elphaba and your people, and I underestimated you. I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Glinda answered quietly. "Past experience was working against you."

"That's not fair to you either," Fiyero pointed out solemnly. "I've given you the raw end of the deal many times it seems. I guess this may seem like ancient history now, and I'll never apologize for choosing Elphaba. But I shouldn't have led you on the way I did, I should have told you the truth about my feelings long before I did and-

A faint but now familiar sound dragged Glinda's attention from Fiyero's sweet apology to her room where Valin had apparently woken up wanting dinner. That was his hungry cry.

"Fiyero stop," she said gently. "Things might not have been ideal, but I don't blame you for loving her. And things turned out right in the end. You made the right choice, and no apology is necessary."

"Right then," Fiyero said uncomfortably, unsure of where to go from there.

"Now," Glinda said, rising from the couch. "Calpurnia's probably on her way with dinner for you, and I'm sure she and Mork will want to have a long chat with you about where you've been," she shared a grin with him. "I'd love to stay for the show, but someone else wants dinner first."

"Motherhood suits you," Fiyero commented.

"I'm getting better at it," Glinda said modestly, remembering the fiasco a few nights ago.

She departed with a smile, leaving Fiyero to relax in the parlor.

Valin's cries had subsided just a little by the time she entered the darkened bedroom, when she entered she discovered why.

Kristian stood over the bassinette with Valin tucked under his chin, he was mumbling something in their son's ear so quietly that even when she stood right next to him she couldn't hear what he said.

"I hoped you'd be back soon," Kris said relieved. "I don't know what's wrong."

"He's just hungry," Glinda said, suppressing a giggle; he just looked so bewildered.

"Oh well then sorry kid, I'm afraid I'm unequipped."

Glinda did giggle then she couldn't help it. She'd been dreaming of lighthearted private moments like this since she'd found out she was expecting; now they were finally happening. Kris happily relinquished his son to his wife, but not without placing gentle kisses on both their foreheads.

"But I think your mama's got it covered," he added slyly, as Glinda carried Valin over to the sofa before the fireplace.

"Come sit down," she requested, wanting to savor the moment.

Kris gladly acquiesced, leaning gingerly into the plush cushions before opening his arms to Glinda. She carefully settled herself in his embrace, turning lengthwise on the couch and arranging to cushions to hold most of her weight so she wouldn't lean on his bruises. When they were both comfortable she situated Valin against her breast; he quit fussing and greedily latched onto her as soon as he could.

"I never would have let myself imagine something like this," Kris commented awestruck at the simple beauty of watching his wife nurse their son. _Their_ _son_, even that sounded better than he could have imagined. Then he amended," I didn't let myself imagine it, even when you wanted me to."

"I didn't mean for you to wake up to him," Glinda said softly. "I meant to tell you first."

"I already knew," Kris said bitterly. "Morrible made sure of that."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Kris insisted abruptly. "Absolutely nothing. I'm sorry I missed so much. Sorry I'll have to miss more."

"More?" Glinda questioned.

Kris was silent and solemn for a long time. Glinda looked at him expectantly while he stared down at her and their son, trying to memorize every perfect feature.

"You've got to take him away from here," Kris said finally. "Both of you have to go someplace safe and stay there until Morrible is gone."

"I can't do that," Glinda insisted. "I'm needed here and Valin is _not_ going anywhere without me."

"You have to," Kris insisted, doing his best not to beg.

"_Why?_"

"Because Morrible is coming to take Valin and kill you," Kris told her; he was passed the point where he could sugar coat things. "I can't let that happen. But I'm not positive I can stop it, she's proven that the Palace and City are no defense to her powers."

Valin had finished so Glinda sat up and turned to Kris, shifting her baby to her shoulder so she could gently burp him.

"And where is safe exactly?" She demanded.

"Anywhere Morrible won't think to look for you," Kris said simply. "It might even be better to keep moving, maybe through the forests."

"No, Valin's too young."

"Then find one safe place and stay there for a while. Somewhere as far from the City as possible."

Glinda stared at him, disbelief tainting her every feature.

"And where will you be?"

"Here. Someone's got to stay behind and hold things together, and come up with a plan to stop her."

"But _why? _Why does she want Valin? We already knew she wanted to hurt me but he's just a baby! He's not even a week old!"

"For starters she wants Valin to hurt you sweetheart," Kris explained sadly. "She's not stupid."

"I know that!"

"I know you know," he amended. "There was something else though, she thinks he's magic. She said something about a…a child of both worlds."

Glinda flinched, remembering what had happened in the medical wing earlier that day.

"A child of both…"

_That's why she had such power; she was a child of both worlds!_

Morrible's words echoed through her memory. She'd said that was why Elphaba had such power, because she was the product of a union between a woman from Oz and a man from the Otherworld. Which meant Valin would have to be…but he _was._ Kris was from the Otherworld too, that was why the Wizard had taken him in to begin with.

"Morrible told me once a child of both worlds would have unimaginable power, because it transcended the barrier between existences…they'd have the magic of both worlds essentially. It was only theoretical when she told but later she and the Wizard discovered their own adversary was just such a 'child', and she _did_ have unimaginable power," Glinda said. "By definition Valin has the same potential, if not more because I'm a sorceress."

"Then it's all the more imperative that Morrible never lays a hand on him."

"I don't know where to take him!" Glinda protested. "She can find talent, that was her talent. If he throws a fit again she'll be able to find us. We'd have to-

"Leave the country," Kris agreed resolutely. "How long will it take to find a way out? You could take a security force and set out as soon as possible."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "This is all happening so fast."

"What is?"

"Too much. Come with me."

She stood, continuing with Valin's burping as she strode out of the room towards the parlor. Kris forced himself to forget his pain to follow her to the parlor.

Fiyero turned on the couch when Glinda called his name.

"What's going on?" He asked, noting the panic in her expression.

"That's what I'd like to know," Kris said when he caught up with Glinda and saw his old, supposedly dead friend sitting in his parlor chatting with Mork and Calpurnia.

"Valin's in danger," Glinda said, ignoring Kris's surprise. Things weren't going at all the way she planned, taking the time to explain why wasn't going to get them anywhere. "He's as powerful as Elphie Fiyero, and Morrible wants him. We have to take him someplace safe, someplace where Morrible won't be able to trace his talent and won't know to look."

"Okay," Fiyero said without hesitation. "You'll come with us tonight. He'll be safe in Loryntium."

"Wait just a clock tik would you!" Kris interjected loudly. "First of all, what are you doing here, you're supposed to be dead. Second of all who is 'Elphie' and third of all where the hell are you planning to run off to with my wife and son?"

"Sit down Kristian," Glinda commanded in a tone that left no room for argument. He sat down and she proceeded to explain what had happened while he was away.

"That'll be safe enough I suppose," he said finally, after the unbelievable story was finished. He definitely didn't like the idea of leaving Glinda in the care of the former Wicked Witch of the West, but he didn't have much of a choice. He'd dug himself into a deep hole when he agreed to help Morrible dethrone Glinda, this was the only way he wouldn't drag Glinda and Valin down into it with him.

* * *

So it was decided. At half eleven Glinda set off to the hospital wing with Fiyero; Kris took Valin to the throne room to wait for the other two to meet them there with Elphaba. Amnestria, Mork and Calpurnia were left blissfully unaware of the plans, it was decided that the less they knew about what was going on while they slept the better. The less they knew the less Morrible could use them to try and get information.

The halls of the palace were dark and silent as Glinda and Fiyero crept through them. They only ran across one guard, who quickly trusted Glinda's judgment and let them pass unhindered to the hospital wing.

The prison ward was comfortable enough on the outside, but still a far cry from the plush ward for residents of the palace. The walls hadn't even been whitewashed; they were made of the same cold, emerald-green brick as the outer palace. The doors to the separate rooms were metal, the only windows they had were the tiny, barred ones that peeped out into the hall.

Fiyero followed Glinda silently down the corridor, straining to see her in the dark. She stopped before one door and pulled a master key from her pocket.

"_Ilo_," she whispered, and a ball of light illuminated the door handle in front of her enough that she could see the lock. With a click that echoed loudly through the cavernous hall the lock released and the door swung open.

Glinda's magic sphere lit the tiny room entirely; both their gazes went to the prone figure on the stark bed.

Fiyero crossed to his wife and gathered her into his arms.

"Can you carry her the whole way?" Glinda worried.

"She's not heavy at all," was the response.

Glinda nodded and led the way back out of the room, locking it behind her. She led her friends back through the halls, checking around corners and in doorways for unsuspecting guards as they went. She felt ridiculous sneaking around her own castle.

The throne room was dark when they arrived, barely lit by a small torch. Kris was pacing near the dais, Valin slept comfortably in his arms. He studied Elphaba carefully when Fiyero and Glinda reached him, but kept his mouth shut. They had no time for more explanations.

"Where is this portal then?" He demanded.

"In the fireplace," Fiyero answered simply, stepping around the dais where a large ornamental hearth took of most of the wall behind it. It was easily big enough for several people to step inside and empty since it hadn't been used since the throne room was last cleaned. He stopped in front of it, shifting Elphaba slightly so he had a better grip on her.

"Be careful, when the portal spits us out it's easy to fall. You don't want to hurt yourself or Valin," he told Glinda.

He set the torch on the brazier so he could see better and examined the inside, he did his best to give his friends a private moment to say goodbye, focusing his attention on making sure no harm had befallen Elphaba.

Kris gently transferred Valin to Glinda, wrapping them both in a hug as he did so.

"I just barely got you back and now I'm losing you again," Glinda mumbled, trying to keep her tears out of her voice. It wasn't any use; Kris could feel them on her cheeks.

"I know, I'm sorry," Kris replied, whispering into her hair. "But I promise you it won't be for long. I _am_ going to set things right. It's better this way until then."

Glinda nodded her understanding as she pulled herself gently out of his embrace. Kris leant down and kissed Valin tenderly on his forehead one last time.

"I promise," he said again emphatically, swearing to himself as much as to her. He wiped the tears from her cheeks before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Glinda melted into the kiss, feeling she'd been shorted the last six months, and she was about to be missing him again.

The two broke reluctantly apart and the Clock of the Time Dragon, outside in the square, tolled midnight.

"Keep them safe," Kris implored Fiyero.

"I will," the other man promised.

Glinda shouldered the bag she'd packed for herself and her son and joined Fiyero in front of the fireplace, determined to go because it would guarantee Valin's safety.

With a final somber glance back to Kris, she and Fiyero turned together with their charges and stepped into the fireplace and directly through the back wall.

* * *

**Reviews are more than welcome. At this point I have the rest of the plot planned out but if there is anything anyone would like to see more of or less of please tell me so I can try to work it in or out before this thing is over. Thanks for reading!**


	19. Promises, Promises

**Ever After**

**Promises, Promises **

**Sorry for the long time between updates, thanks to all those who continue to read and especially to those who keep reviewing. You all rock my world.**

* * *

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_She'd been here before; had this nightmare over and over again. The faces of leering gargoyles were imprinted in her memory; the evil that ensconced her was an unwelcome familiarity. She knew where the door at the end of the hall led to: disappointment and frustration. She'd made the trek to it countless times. She never found out who was behind it, never knew what the harshly lit room inside held, never saw what was at the heart of the macabre dreamscape._

_It different this time though. The journey down the hall didn't take as long as usual. The darkness had ended, and yet her entrance into the mystery room hadn't jarred her from hell. Glinda had never been here before. She'd always woken up. Someone had told her once that you woke up before you die in your dreams, the shock of dying snaps you out of it -She wondered if she'd died too many times and there was no more shock to provide an escape route. _

_More important than any of this was that the one comfort her subconscious afforded her was missing. The green woman who had been her constant was not at her side. _

_The room was empty, utterly void of life -friendly or otherwise. There was no one at the doorway. There was no one on the stone throne before her. The gargoyles were fiendish now, bathed in the violent light of several fires. The illumination, though a stark contrast to the dark halls, did nothing to dispel the presence of pure evil and she found herself longing to return to the halls where she at least felt less exposed. _

_She turned, intending to retreat since there was obviously nothing there to find, and picked her way back to where she'd come in. She stopped as she passed the window, compelled to look down by who-knew-what-force. Outside lightning and thunder waltzed across a draining sky; the courtyard, stories below her, swam in the deluge. The frequent flashes of light came and went and she wished it would just go away. _

_However, as one particularly lengthy burst lingered for a few seconds something caught her eye, a flash of white softness against the hard, black edges of the fortress. Another flash and she recognized it as human; a man wearing a white shirt; crumpled in the small lake that was forming on the cobblestones. She squinted, but between the rain and the maddeningly unhelpful bursts of bright she couldn't tell who the man was. _

_She dashed toward the door, now with a specific goal in mind: to get to the courtyard and find out who was there. _

_Corridors and halls passed in a blur, they didn't seem to take form and Glinda remembered none of it. It wasn't until she burst through another set of doors right into the rain that reality set back in. For a moment she stood in the squall, searching for the lone figure she'd seen. Then her eyes caught it. Gathering her wet skirts in her hands she dashed through the torrent and skidded to a stop next to the man.  
_

_"_Kris_!" His name came out in a rush of breath as if her sudden stop knocked the wind out of her. _

_The soaked form of her husband didn't stir, didn't move from the fetal position that left his face turned from her line of view. _

_"Kris," she said again, whispering this time. She was afraid -no terrified now. "Kris, _please_."_

_She gripped his shoulders with tiny hands and heaved until his still body turned to her. A spark of life flickered in his eyes as they met hers. _

_"Glinda," he muttered, searching for forgiveness. "I'm sorry."_

_The spark guttered; his vibrant green eyes suddenly vacant._

_Noooo!_

Glinda Upland Marvel burst straight up in her bed. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps and when she brought her hands to her eyes to rub the sleep from them she found tears she hadn't realized she'd been crying. It took too long for her vision to adjust to the dark room surrounding her and when it finally did it took longer to remember where she was. When realization finally dawned on her she was able to relax just a little.

She was in a room in a palace, which, instead of being where it was supposed to be, was in a city that wasn't supposed exist, in a land that she'd been told her entire life was uninhabitable desert. She knew that not far away, was a wing devoted to medical practice, where her best friend –who was supposed to be dead- was peacefully resting in a drug-induced sleep.

Just across the massive bed, her son was sleeping serenely. Fiyero had promised that a bassinette or cradle of some sort would be brought to the room in the morning but for now there were pillows stacked around Valin to protect him during the night. She leaned over and re-tucked the blanket around his tiny body and smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles in the material while he slept on.

After surveying the entire room to be sure that everything was as it should be, Glinda allowed herself to sag back into her pillows.

"_It's just a dream sweetheart, there's nothing to worry about."_ That's what Kris would have said if he were here. He would have hugged her against his chest and told her that until she believed it and fell back to sleep. Fresh tears filled the young woman's eyes and spilled out once more; she covered her mouth to muffle her sobs and tried to convince herself that her husband was just as safe as she and their son were.

* * *

Klondika strode through the dark halls of Morrible's fortress confidently. He was sure that the information he brought was going to make its recipient quite angry. But he was also reasonably certain that she would not be angry with him. _Hopefully_.

He swallowed as he approached the doors of Morrible's inner sanctum, hoping that the _tiny_ bit of fear he was feeling didn't show.

"Madame?"

Morrible looked up as Klondika hesitantly approached her. He couldn't help feeling that she appeared to be unduly irate considering she didn't know what he had come to tell her.

"Well?" She prodded harshly. Klondika gulped again.

"I'm afraid things are not going quite according to plan."

Morrible just stared at him expectantly.

"Kristian has taken his place in the Emerald City as expected, with no undue suspicion surrounding his arrival. Whatever tiff was going on at the Palace seems to have faded away completely. However, I'm afraid that Lady Glinda is no longer in residence. According to the Captain of the Guard she left with her son for their safety, and that was all he would tell me."

"_What_?"

Tiny beads of sweat dotted Klondika's forehead as he swallowed hard for a third time and did his best to continue calmly.

"Ah- it seems that she was advised to step out of the public eye until the boy is a bit older, given the circumstances of your…being at large."

Morrible's eyes narrowed and flashed with steely anger as she bore down on the prime minister.

"Find her. I don't care how. You will find her. You have forty-eight hours."

Klondika stumbled, wide-eyed with fear towards the door.

"And Prime Minister?"

He halted at the door, not daring to turn for fear what he would see.

"Don't disappoint me."

With that, he all but scampered out of the fortress, and set off towards the portal at a dead run. Had he dared to glance back, he would have seen menacing storm clouds converging over the rocky lair.

* * *

Morning in the Emerald City was painful for Kris Marvel. If anything, his wounds ached more after a day and night of healing than they had when they were fresh. However, there were far too many things for him to do to continue lying in bed nursing injuries he very much deserved. So he forced himself to roll out of the sheets. Then forced his body to move forward and start the day though every muscle and bone protested the action.

The residence was silent, but for the crackling of the fire in the parlor hearth. It was early morning still, but he expected Mork and Calpurnia were bustling around somewhere starting their day as well. Which was good, he'd need them to make sure Amnestria got on the first train out of the city while he got himself up to date on public affairs, so he could run the country and keep Glinda's absence as quiet as possible for as long as possible.

He hated mornings.

* * *

Sometime before dawn, the drugs holding Elphaba hostage finally began to fade away. Though for her, this wasn't necessarily the best of things. For when the medication relinquished its grip, her subconscious began to take over, and she dreamt. Hellish visions, to vivid and awful to be called nightmares, plagued her through the last remnants of her imprisonment. Tears ran through squeezed eyelids as she fought the images, unable to escape her own sleep.

Fiyero woke when she finally began to stir, and immediately grasped her hand to still her.

"Elphaba," he said gently, worrying when he saw the damp tracks on her cheeks, and the distraught expression on her face. "Elphaba sweetheart, wake up, it's only a dream."

He wiped the tears from her face with feather-light strokes and then let his hand cup her face tenderly.

"No," she moaned, turning away from his touch. "No, it wasn't supposed to happen this way. I didn't want-

"Elphaba," Fiyero called to her more firmly and her words trailed off. "Elphaba wake up."

"_No_," she sobbed.

Fiyero wasn't sure what to do. He patted her cheek and squeezed her hand. Still she showed no sign of leaving her nightmares behind. He glanced at the clock; it was a few minutes past the time her medicine was supposed to wear off.

"_Please_," Elphaba begged in her sleep.

"Elphaba!" He all but yelled. Her eyes flew open and she sprang forward. He caught her as she scrambled off of the bed. "Elphaba it's okay! It's okay. You're safe!"

"Fiyero?" She gasped, hands clutching his shirt and she clung to him until her knuckles were white.

"Shhh," he hushed, stroking her hair and pulling her against him. Her head had barely rested on his shoulder when she pulled back, terror in her eyes once more.

"Where's Glinda?" She demanded, uncharacteristic panic shading her features. She struggled to climb off the bed once more.

"She's fine," Fiyero assured her, tugging her back into his arms.

"Where is she?" Acid colored her voice and she glowered at her husband.

"Down the hall," he replied, confused at her tone.

Elphaba looked around wildly. "We're in Loryntium?"

"Yeah, we decided it wasn't safe in the city anymore. Glinda and Valin came with us; they're in the room across from ours, hopefully sleeping."

Elphaba sagged against him. "She's safe?"

"Yes, what's the matter?"

"I had a dream," she mumbled into his shirt. "It was awful, like when I saw the house and Nessa… only more vivid. If that's possible."

"Well she's fine," Fiyero reaffirmed. "I checked on her not too long ago."

"What about Kris?"

"He stayed in the city; insisted upon it actually."

Elphaba bit her lip, staring at nothing as she contemplated. "Did Glinda leave her necklace with him?"

"What?"

Elphaba sighed and changed tactics. "I need to see her."

"What? No. The sun is nowhere near up yet and she had a rough night."

"What time is it?"

"Half-four. We only got here two hours ago, you should let her sleep."

"Valin will be up in an hour."

"You can see her then," Fiyero promised. He propped pillows behind his back and leaned against them, grateful when Elphaba settled with her head against his chest without his encouragement. "Relax. We're all as safe as we can be for now."

She wasn't sure she agreed, but she didn't argue.

* * *

Precisely an hour and a half later Elphaba padded down the carpeted hallway towards the room reserved for Glinda. She pushed the door open silently, just in case Valin hadn't woken up when he usually did. She carefully looked inside, hoping, perhaps unfairly, that Glinda was awake.

"Elphie? What are you doing up?"

At once the tension that had been building up within her being lifted and Elphaba finally relaxed.

"You're safe," she stated, rather redundantly.

"Of course I'm safe," Glinda smiled, but it was a forced amalgamation of her normally dazzling expression. "Thanks to you. That was really stupid by the way; I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."

Elphaba shot her a wan smirk.

"What's wrong?" she asked the blonde woman.

"Nothing," Glinda replied, shifting her son to her left shoulder as she sat down on the edge of her bed. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm fine," Elphaba insisted absently. "You're not. Don't lie to me, you're horrible at it."

Glinda scoffed. She was a very good liar. Though that wasn't something she supposed she was extremely proud of.

Elphaba sat down next to her, letting Glinda lean against her.

"How are you feeling?" Glinda asked.

"A little stiff, and a little anxious," Elphaba admitted.

"I'm sorry about the drugs. If there were any other way-

"You did fine. Now stop changing the subject, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Glinda insisted again and when Elphaba glared at her hurried to continue. "I'm just tired. And anxious as well I guess."

"You collapsed."

"Elphie that was yesterday; I've slept since then."

"Not enough, no doubt," Elphaba said.

"Probably not," Glinda agreed amicably, and fidgeted with Valin's blanket.

"You should rest; I'll take Valin if you need me to."

Glinda shook her head, "No."

"Well then, I'll just go. Breakfast is in three hours, if you want I'll wake you. Otherwise we'll get something when you wake up."

"No, Elphie, I don't want to sleep."

"You should," Elphaba protested. "You'll make yourself sick. And that won't do anybody any good."

"I can't. I can't sleep anymore; I don't even want to try."

"Glinda-

"Every time I shut my eyes I have horrible dreams," Glinda snapped, more harshly than she intended to. "I'm not sleeping."

Elphaba snapped her mouth shut and wrapped her arm around her friend. The two sat in silence for a long moment before Elphaba spoke again.

"Dreams about what?" She whispered, hoping the blonde wasn't suffering the same nocturnal torture she'd escaped mere hours before.

"Kris. I keep seeing his death," Came the whispered answer. A rogue tear slipped down Glinda's cheek and splatted on Valin's blanket.

Elphaba pulled her closer. "I'm sorry."

"For what? It's not your fault," Glinda said gruffly, wiping furiously at her eyes, wishing some of Elphaba's strength would rub off on her.

"Everything I guess," Elphaba said quietly.

"Elphie?" Glinda said when she trusted her voice again. "Fiyero… Fiyero said that you'd been keeping an eye on me with some sort of crystal ball. He said you'd be able to see the Emerald City from here."

Elphaba nodded, and knew what the next thing out of Glinda's mouth would be.

"I left a charmed necklace, whenever you wore it I could "tune in" and see you."

Glinda's hear sank.

"This necklace?" She asked, fingering the pendant around her neck and lifting it so Elphaba could see.

"Yes."

"So you can't 'tune in', as you say, and see Kris?" She continued, her eyes downcast.

Elphaba watched her friend for a minute, trying to decide on the most honest answer.

"I could try," she said.

"Would you?"

Elphaba nodded and stood.

"Now?"

"Please," Glinda replied.

Elphaba led her from the room and down the corridor towards the library. She knew that the chances of spotting Kris in the ball were slim, but she knew that Glinda was willing to take any chance she could get. She didn't blame her.

The library was dim, lit only by the early morning streams of light through the windows. Elphaba picked her way through the shelves of books with ease born of too much practice. Glinda followed, allowing herself to hope just for a minute that if she could see that her husband was safe then she'd be able to catch more than a few minutes of sleep.

Elphaba stopped at a table in a particularly darkened part of the massive room and waved her hands over the glass orb that was perched on top of it. The orb began to glow, first faintly then brighter as it came alive with magic.

"You'll have to help me with the spell," Elphaba said. "It will be stronger, and even then I'm not sure it will work."

"Tell me what to do."

Elphaba recited a short incantation and repeated it patiently until Glinda could parrot it back. Then Elphaba placed her hands on the orb, and Glinda placed her free hand on top of a green one. Their eyes met over their stacked hands and they chanted:

_Vedo che la luna _

_La luna lo vede _

_Benedire attraverso la luna _

_Il mio amore da vedere_

The ball glowed brightly, and then through the foggy magic inside a faint image appeared. Glinda caught a brief glimpse of Kristian sitting at what appeared to be her desk before the fog swirled and it disappeared. The orb went dark once more.

"That's all?" she demanded.

"Sorry. The magic's iffy, because there isn't a good connection."

"My necklace?"

"Is charmed, it creates a sort of link between the crystal ball and its wearer."

"So if I gave Kris my necklace there wouldn't be a problem?"

"There isn't a way to get Kris your necklace."

Glinda scowled at her. "But if I could?"

Elphaba scowled back. "You _can't_."

Glinda turned on her heel and marched out of the library.

"Glinda," Elphaba chased after her. "You are absolutely _not_ going back to the Emerald City."

"I dare you to stop me," the blonde seethed, her vehemence more than making up for her physical lack of intimidation. She practically stormed into her room, laying her now asleep son back on the bed with tenderness that completely belied her current state of mind.

She went to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress and a cloak that she'd stored there and began to change without caring that Elphaba was standing, hands planted on her hips, just inside the doorway.

"Wait for me," Elphaba said finally, deciding that the best way to keep Glinda out of trouble was to go with her.

"You can't come," Glinda stated simply. "You'll get caught. _Again_. And it was hard enough getting you out the last time. Fiyero showed me how the portals work; I'll go alone and be back before you know it."

Elphaba gaped at her.

"I promise," the blonde said firmly. "Watch Valin, I'll be back before he wakes up."

"Wait."

Glinda halted and shot her friend an impatient gaze.

"Just wait. Kris is fine, you saw in the orb. He'll be fine for the next four hours while you rest. You can go after breakfast; I'll show you the portal that goes straight to the Emerald Palace."

"You swear?"

"I swear," Elphaba said solemnly.


	20. The Beginning of the End

**The Beginning of the End

* * *

  
**

Kristian Marvel was sitting at his wife's desk, files and rolls of parchment were spread haphazardly across its surface and over the floor. He hadn't gone to bed once Fiyero had taken Elphaba and his family through the portal, instead he'd come to Glinda's office hoping to catch up on all that he'd missed in the half a year that he'd been gone. Though he'd read enough newspapers during his time in Morrible's lair he realized that there was much going on behind the scenes and out of the shrewd, if slightly biased, eye of the press. He wasn't disappointed, Glinda –or more likely Aliira- had kept thorough records of press statements and the more detailed reports behind them.

He'd made it through those after several hours and then had pulled much older files from the large archive that connected his office to Glinda's. He'd asked his own assistant Gerome to head to the Wizard's old archive and pull everything regarding The Wicked Witch of the West. Though they'd agreed to keep the capture and subsequent "release" of the Witch secret, it was up to Kris to start planting the idea that the She might still be at large and rallying an attack against Madame Morrible. So he wanted to brush up on the Witch's history as best he could before he had to start sending the press statements about Morrible.

"Sir?" A voice interrupted his research from the doorway. Kris looked up to see one of the few office aides who had already returned from the holiday standing at the door. "The Prime Minister is here to see you. He says it's urgent."

Kris glanced at the mess on Glinda's desk and decided he'd rather not have Klondika in her office at the moment.

"Send him to my office, tell him I'll be with him shortly," Kris said.

"That won't be necessary Your Grace," Klondika interrupted before the aide could respond and brushed passed the younger man. "I'm afraid what I have to say can't be held up by protocol."

Kristian leaned back into his chair, trying to project an attitude of nonchalance even as he noticed that Klondika was trying a little too hard to do the same thing.

"By all means then Prime Minister," he gestured for the older man to take seat and nodded to the aide, "Thank you Gerome I think that will be all."

Garrett gave a curt bow and ducked out of the door, pulling it shut behind him.

"Klondika I can think of very few things that warrant you barging into my wife's office on a holiday and none of them are particularly pleasant so I'd suggest you start talking," Kristian said, dropping his pretense of graciousness and leveling a cold gaze at the double agent who sat before him.

**WICKED**

"I'd like to remind everyone that I think this is a very bad idea," Fiyero announced darkly as he followed Glinda and Elphaba into the armory where the portal to Kiamo Ko was located.

"I'd like to remind you that I don't particularly care," Glinda shot back more sharply than she might have if she had gotten more rest and hadn't been so worried.

Fiyero opened his mouth to fire off a retort but Elphaba quickly interjected, "Kris has to have the necklace as soon as possible, the whole plan rests on our ability to keep tabs on him and the Emerald City."

"I'm just saying," Fiyero said petulantly.

"Your concerns have been noted, but I'm going back," Glinda said.

"Be careful," Elphaba warned her though it was unnecessary. "The less people who see you back at the palace the better. If you need me say the incantation I taught you and then my name; we won't be able to communicate through the necklace but it will focus the orb on you and I'll come as fast as I can."

"You won't need too," Glinda insisted, and turned to kiss Valin who was sleeping comfortably in Elphaba's arms. "I'll be back before he wakes up and wants lunch."

With that she stepped through the false tapestry that depicted the village of Red Windmill with Kiamo Ko lording over it from the craggy backs of the Kells.

"Shouldn't she be on bed rest or something?" Fiyero -who was still a little cross at not having been consulted about the blonde's present mission before she was already on her way- asked.

"Probably," Elphaba said dryly, and watched Valin sleep so she wouldn't have to meet her husband's eyes, knowing he would see through her blithe mask immediately if she did. "But somebody had to get the damn necklace back and she wasn't going to calm down until she'd done it."

"I still don't like it."

"Me neither," she admitted, and turned to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Library."

He should have guessed; he was beginning to think the two witches knew something they weren't telling him. The thought was not particularly comforting but he decided it would be best not to dwell and hurried to follow his wife.

**WICKED**

"I need you to protect my family."

After nearly ten minutes of sitting in silence leveling stubborn gazes at one another, the last thing Kris expected Klondika to start with were these words.

"Excuse me?"

Klondika swallowed at the painful lump that rose in his throat as soon as the words were out. He'd been agonizing over the choices laid before him since he'd left for Morrible's fortress nearly a day before. Truthfully, he hadn't expected her to control her temper as well as she had when he'd delivered his news, and forty-eight hours were forty-eight too many to debate over which side he really wanted to be on in this war. Which side did he want to die on?

"All my life I have worked for stability," he began to elaborate with a distant tone, knowing very well where the path he was now embarking on would lead. "When the Wizard's reign began to falter I strengthened ties with the one who seemed certain to remain in power at the time. I stood with Madame Morrible instead of Glinda the Good and that choice is going to cost me my life –Rightfully so perhaps but I will not bring those in my care down with me. Do you understand?"

"You're going against Morrible," Kris stated, trying to conceal his shock.

"I've come to the same impasse I believe you have my boy, and I've made a similar choice. Glinda's reformed Oz is not the place for an Old Wizard's boy like me. But I think I ought to help usher in the new era."

"She'll kill you."

"Perhaps," Klondika replied with a mirthless smile. "But I'm more concerned with what she will do to appease her need for vengeance. So I need your promise that you will protect my family. I've sent a trusted man to my estate to take my wife and son into hiding. I want your word that a safe way for them to return to their home will be made when the time comes."

"I'll do everything in my power, but you're presuming that I'll have any should I live through the war."

"That's the other thing I'm here to discuss. It's high time you told Glinda the truth."

"I really don't think that's wise," Kris countered. "If there's any chance of fixing this I need her to trust me in order to do it."

"No, Morrible is expecting you to cover up your involvement and she'll use it to break Glinda as soon as she has the chance. You must beat her to the punch. Tell Glinda the truth on your terms while there's a chance that the damage can be contained."

Kris looked downcast as the truth of Klondika's words settled upon him like a death shroud; there was no chance that he would be able to atone for his treachery without accepting the guilt for it first.

"Now, the way I see it you have a pretty good chance of winning this fight," Klondika continued. "So listen to me now."

"How do I know you're telling me the truth? That this isn't some scheme of Morrible's and you're not going to go running back to her as soon as I start doing what you tell me to?"

"I'll leave you with ample assurance in good time, now listen: Her scheme rests on being able to capture Glinda and getting that spell book from her. She'll do away with you as soon as she gets a chance so don't give her one because you're the last line of defense. Without you in the Emerald City to lead the fight against her army she'll be able to sweep in and blow any rebellion away."

"She's planning to use the portals you've been finding for her," Kris remembered.

"Yes," Klondika pulled a piece of parchment from his breast pocket and spread it out over the papers on Glinda's desk. Kris quickly recognized it as a map of Oz with particular detail in the central metropolitan areas. "These blue doors are the portals she knows about so far. The three in the red she doesn't know about, my agent only just found them and I hadn't gotten a chance to report them yet."

"What about your agent, she'll be able to track him down and get the information from him."

"No, I'm afraid she won't," Klondika said bleakly. "He won't be spilling any secrets to her or anyone else for that matter. Now, this portal, and then this one," he pointed to two blue doors that were a considerable distance apart from one another according to the scale, "will take you to her fortress, in this canyon."

"Well that's perfect, we can beat her to the punch as you say and take her before she can even think of mobilizing her army to find Glinda."

"No. She'll flood the canyon before you can get anyone to the lair. Her weather magic will be your biggest worry, but provided she doesn't get her hands on your wife or the Grimmerie then Glinda should be able to counter the spells before any lasting damage can be done."

"So we just have to fight until she makes herself vulnerable?"

"It won't take nearly as long as you'll wish it will," Klondika said with grim certainty. "As long as Glinda stays well hidden she'll waste much of her army searching for her. You'll be able to pick the goons off one by one, but eventually she'll pull them back and then you'll have to wait. At that point the Ozians will be your biggest contender. They'll begin to distrust you when she starts drying or drowning out their food supply and makes the travel routes impassable. So you'll need to show them you're fighting her without sending your army into that ravine."

"We've started on a way to do that."

"Good. If Glinda can hold off her weather spells then it will only be a matter of time before Morrible loses patience and comes out to get you herself. It won't be easy. But you'll be able to take her down once she's out of that fortress."

Kris sat back in his chair, staring pensively at the papers strewn across the cherry-wood desk.

"What else can you tell me that I don't already know about Morrible's plans?"

**WICKED**

Glinda stumbled out of the portal and over the brazier into the throne room. It was dark except for the cords of daylight spilling through the gaps in the curtains; luckily it was an open room and not hard to navigate even without the luxury of sight. When she got to the door she cracked it open, peering out to see if any guards were posted in this hall. They should still have been focused in the royal apartments but she didn't want to run into any unnecessarily. When she was certain that there were none in the corridor she stepped into the hall, shutting the door silently behind her. Then, clutching the charmed necklace tightly in her left hand she headed for one of the secret passages that led to her family's apartment.

The hidden passageway ended in a two-way mirror, as many of the others did, and through it she could see her mother perched on the sofa with a faraway look in her eyes. She felt a little guilty for having left Amnestria without a word as to where she had taken Valin but knew it had been for the best, and in any case she supposed she could tell her now, and arrange to get her well away from the Emerald City for a while. She thumbed the opening mechanism on the mirror and it slid away with a hiss just loud enough to catch Amnestria's attention.

"Galinda Soleil Upland! You scared me half to death!" The older blonde shrieked and lunged from the couch to gather her daughter into her arms.

Glinda returned the hug fiercely and tried to think of the best thing to tell her mother.

"Where in Oz have you been?" Amnestria demanded before she could even imagine her explanation. "Disappearing in the middle of the night with no trace and taking my grandson to boot! I thought that horrible Morrible person had finally caught you. I thought of the most awful things and then Kris finally came in and-

"Mom, stop!" Glinda said loudly, grasping her mother's arm and leading her to the sofa to calm down. "It's not safe here in the Emerald City anymore. You need to go home; I'm going to arrange an escort and they're going to take you straight back to the manor."

"Oh, Kris has already arranged it. We're leaving an hour after nightfall "and not stopping till dawn"."

"Good, then I want you to take daddy and Arcelus and his family to one of the summer homes and stay there until this blows over."

"Glinda, surely that's not-

"It _is_ necessary Mom," Glinda insisted, pulling away from her mother's embrace so she could draw herself to her full height (though that still didn't bring her eye to eye with her mother even). "Most of your escort will stay there with you except the one that's going to come back and tell Kris where you are so we can get word to you. _Please_."

"And what about you then? You're going to stay here on the front lines and fight? How can you do that? To your son, to your family, to your people? None of us can afford to lose you."

"I know. I'll be hiding myself for a little while; until we have an advantage at least."

"Oh, Galinda," Amnestria wrapped her in a crushing hug once more, but not before Glinda caught the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"It's going to turn out alright in the end Mom, you'll see."

"Oh my darling, I know that. I do know that."

"Stay safe. Send everyone my love."

"You're leaving so soon?"

Glinda nodded, "I need to get back to Valin; I just came to set things in order."

Their eyes met in solidarity; they embraced once more.

"Oz speed my darling."

"Oz speed Mom, I love you."

Amnestria blew her a kiss as she turned on her heel and left the room at a brisk pace, wiping tears from her eyes as she wondered if this was the last time she would see her mother. She violently pushed the thought from her mind, knowing that dwelling on the idea would only make it worse.

Since Kris had not been in the apartments she guessed he would be in his office or the kitchens. Since Mork and Calpurnia were on the list of people she didn't want to run into and waste time explaining things she decided to check the office first, though there would almost certainly be a guard there, it would be easier to wave him off than one of her friends. To her surprise the guard standing duty outside the antechamber of the office was the Captain himself.

"Captain Donelin?"

"My Lady?" He questioned, surprised to see her. "I was not aware you were in residence."

"I'm not. What's going on? Who's in the office?"

"Prime Minister Klondika requested that I escort him to his carriage, Lord Marvel signed the request and asked that I wait here until they finished their meeting."

"I wasn't aware that the Prime Minster had returned from his holiday."

The door swung open and Kristian and Klondika stepped out. For a beat the four of them stood staring dumbly at one another, each trying to decide their next move based on the other three.

Finally Klondika bowed to Glinda and spoke, "My Lady."

"Prime Minister."

"I beg you'll pardon me, there is a matter of security I must attend to immediately." He turned to Kris, "Beat her to the punch boy."

Glinda caught the suspicious glare that Kris leveled at Klondika but he seemed appeased when the aging politician requested that Captain Donelin accompany him on attending to the "matter".

"Glinda, what's going on?"

"I could ask you the same," Glinda retorted, her attention still focused on Klondika and Donelin, who were heading for a staircase that would take them to the back entrance of the palace, near the kitchens.

"He stopped by quite abruptly this morning for a discussion. I'm glad you're here, we need to talk; but why _are_ you here?"

"We need to talk," Glinda agreed.

Kris lay a hand on her back to usher her back towards their offices, he opened the heavy door for her and gui- _CRACK! _

Glinda found herself pressed between Kris and the wall before the gunshot stopped echoing off the stone. She could feel Kris's heart pounding wildly in his chest and was acutely aware of his labored breathing. As the ringing in her ears subsided she found a gap between his arms and his body that she could peer through and saw guards fill the corridor as if they'd seeped out of the paintings and the stonework. For a moment the whole world seemed to stand still as they waited for something else to happen. When nothing did they all realized where the sound had come from: the staircase where Donelin and Klondika had disappeared. Glinda caught Kris's gaze and held it for a split second before they both took off for the stairs.

Three twisting flights of steps later the two, plus the seven guards they'd left in their wake, spilled out of the kitchen entrance. Glinda gagged and covered her mouth, pivoting away from the scene before her to bury her face in Kris's shirt. He grunted against the image and the sudden pressure against his chest but clutched his wife close as he stared somberly at the body, lying in gravel wet with melting snow and the steadily growing puddle of ruby fluid.

_I'll leave you with ample assurance_. So that's what he meant.

Donelin, the normally unflappable captain of the guard, was thunderstruck.

"He declared himself a traitor as soon as we came out and...and..." He couldn't finish the sentence, the gruesome scene said it all.

Kristian pulled the sobbing Glinda back through the entrance, away from the horror that sealed what Klondika had told him as the truth.

"Darling, we need to talk."

* * *

**Author's note: Thanks for reading, especially to everyone has been around since the beginning. I really appreciate your patience and your comments. **


End file.
